In an unprecedented initiative aimed at ensuring the right to information, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the international nonprofit organisation promoting and defending a free, independent and pluralistic journalism, have announced the signing of a contract with Eutelsat, a leading global satellite operator, on November 7, 2023.

My understanding is that many people.in Russia are quite dependent on Russian state satellite TV for access to News amd Information.Prior to the war #Eutelsat facilitated transmission of major #Russian #SatelliteTV services but have reduced their involvement. I always wondered why more #Independent and #International #news and #entertainment programming wasn’t made available to #russian residents. I know there isn’t ahuge commercial opportunity considering the type of broadcast. But content rights for Russia must be very cheap now and the value of such a service huge.

    • thanksforallthefish@literature.cafe
      21·
      1 year ago

      There’s a massive gulf between the very effective disinformation efforts Russia is involved in and running a TV station.

      TV broadcasting is very expensive, takes a lot of man power and is unlikely to make any significant difference in the short run because it is clearly external and hence naturally assumed to be propaganda (which clearly it will be if it is going to achieve the purpose)

      Russian disinformation campaigns focus on astroturfing support for groups that disrupt the status quo and politicians that work against their interests. Examples are the funding of the NRA to disrupt the Democrats and support Republicans. Support for AFD in Germany, övp and fpö in Austria, LePen in France, Brexit in the UK etc

      Campaigns of that type are difficult in Russia due to it being a dictatorship, but even so they’re more likely to be successful than broadcasting BBC in Russian or what ever you had in mind.

      TL;DR you’re comparing apples with oranges. A TV station is not remotely similar to Russia’s disinformation campaigns