Broadcasting Against the Grain: The Contradictory Roles of RT in Global Media Age

RT (formerly Russia Today) is a transnational television news broadcaster launched in 2005 by the Russian government. It is one of the most controversial global news actors, often associated with misinformation and propaganda. In this capacity, the channel can also be seen as an instance of an increasingly pluralized global information space where traditional legacy media meet competition from alternative news outlets. This chapter takes a broad view on RT and delves into its roles and objectives as have been addressed by media scholars, NGOs, other news media institutions, and not least RT itself. We begin by discussing RT’s activities and competitors on the global news market, after which we discuss these activities from the perspectives of soft power, public diplomacy, propaganda, and nation branding. The chapter ends with concluding remarks and suggestions for future research in this area.