RT America ceases productions and lays off most of its staff

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New York (CNN Business)RT America will cease productions and lay off most of its staff, according to a memo CNN obtained from T&R Productions, the production company behind the Russian state-funded network.

Misha Solodovnikov, the general manager of T&R Productions, told staff in the memo that it will be "ceasing production" at all of its locations "as a result of unforeseen business interruption events."
"Unfortunately, we anticipate this layoff will be permanent, meaning that this will result in the permanent separation from employment of most T&R employees at all locations," Solodovnikov wrote.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/03/media/rt-america-layoffs/index.html

[EYESORE 9001]

1. Some day, that'll be an announcement for Faux 'News'

and there will be jubilation across the land.

[Hortensis]

2. Excellent. As of this week, Twitter accounts now show "Russia State-Affiliated Media"

at the top right below the individual account holder's name.

Link to tweet

Of course it is. YOU're still spreading disinfo and agitprop for the Kremlin's chief propaganda operation.

Twitter: “Since the invasion, we’ve seen more than 45,000 Tweets a day from individuals on Twitter sharing these links — meaning that now the overwhelming majority of content from state-affiliated media is coming from individuals sharing this content, rather than accounts we’ve been labeling for years as state-affiliated media,” Twitter spokesperson Elizabeth Busby told POLITICO in an email.

The move comes after Russia used “false flag” operations to justify its invasion of Ukraine, including false information disseminated through social media to portray Ukraine as the aggressor. Last week, reports from state-affiliated Russian media falsely reported a Ukrainian civilian genocide, a claim that went “unchecked and unchallenged.” Similar Russian-backed falsehoods compiled millions of likes, comments and shares on Twitter and Facebook, a POLITICO review showed.

Twitter blocked advertisements from all accounts owned by Russia Today and Sputnik in 2017. In 2019, the company banned all state-backed media advertising and political advertising.

Despite her complaint, not all RT-affiliated individuals are being slapped with this warning. I noticed Thom Hartmann and Chris Hedges, for instance, are not even though they've long been affiliated, but apparently they don't trip some, "Okay, this is so blatant it doesn't actually need our warning" wire Twitter's set up. Analysts say this type of input is used to "blur the line between propaganda and commentary."

"According to a[n unnamed] "social network analyst interviewed by the [New York] Times, RT isn't simply a platform for a right-wing agenda. Rather, it fuels fringe viewpoints across the political spectrum, providing grist for libertarian, far-left, and anti-globalization factions as well."