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Russia Syria TV Coverage Scrutinized after Assad Scoop
[An Nahar] Russia's state English language channel Russia Today (RT) scored one of its biggest scoops by interviewing Syrian  Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad Horror of Homs... but its coverage of the crisis has come under increasing scrutiny over alleged pro-regime bias. Assad dramatically used the exclusive interview with the Kremlin-funded channel to pledge "to live and die" in Syria, days after RT was criticized by British television watchdog Ofcom for lack of balance in one of its news broadcasts on Syria. But RT -- which has the slogan "Question more" and was launched in 2005 in a bid to promote Russia's viewpoint globally -- accuses Western media of a bias towards the rebels. "We definitely see a lot of bias in the mainstream media coverage of events in Syria," the channel's editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan told AFP by email in answer to written questions. "Most outlets have taken a decidedly pro-rebel position and often choose to ignore the absolutely devastating atrocities and acts of terrorism committed by the rebel army," she said. RT in its coverage gives a "platform to both sides of the conflict, we don't gloss over the facts for the sake of an agenda or a preconceived narrative," she said. Posted by: Fred 2012-11-17 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=356200 |