“Russians who get their fact from the state media live in an alternate actuality,” Madeline Roache says.
Day-after-day Roache watches the morning “information” on Channel One, a prime Russian state TV channel. She tracks the narratives that Russian viewers are listening to. And he or she writes a report for NewsGuard concerning the “different actuality.” NewsGuard, a startup that charges the reliability of reports sources, started publishing Roache’s summaries on Monday.
General, Roache informed CNN, on state-run TV, “the Russian military is portrayed as triumphant — as not sustaining any losses, any casualties, and is definitely not committing any atrocities. In the meantime, based on the state media, it is the Ukrainian military committing atrocities, killing civilians, sustaining heavy losses and dropping territory to the Russian forces.”
This remark of Roache’s stood out to me probably the most: “Russians would have each motive to really feel proud primarily based on what they’re seeing on the state TV.”
Working with producer Aaron Cooper, I compiled this report for Monday’s version of “The Lead with Jake Tapper” concerning the upside-down nature of Russian state media. Specialists say the Putinesque programming nonetheless has a really agency maintain on Russian public opinion, regardless of a wealth of actual reporting from Ukraine that contradicts it. As CNN’s Nic Robertson informed us, “It is no shock that so many individuals are simply following together with the Kremlin’s strains. It’s the best factor for them to do. They do not see an alternate. They really feel powerless and it is data they have been fed yr upon yr upon yr by Putin and by the Soviet management again in these days.” Watch…
Moscow’s blackout
Right here is a few essential context when excited about this subject: “Basically journalism has been banned now in Russia,” Anne Applebaum identified on “Dependable Sources” the opposite day. “It is now unlawful to speak about this so-called ‘particular army operation’ as a warfare or to name it an invasion. And meaning most Western correspondents have left. The entire unbiased Russian media which did exist earlier than the warfare has now been banned; a lot of these journalists have left the nation as nicely. So the true story of what goes on in Russia is now getting more durable and more durable to inform.”
We get glimpses contained in the nation, by the eyes of individuals like Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition politician who not too long ago taped an interview with CNN+ anchor Sara Sidner. He informed Sidner that this warfare will likely be Putin’s downfall. On Monday he was detained exterior of his condo constructing in Moscow, based on a number of experiences. The interview additionally ran on Monday, and you’ll stream it right here…
Daniel Dale’s evaluation
Jake Tapper stated it finest on Monday: Russia is partaking in a “fierce propaganda warfare to justify its unprovoked, brutal invasion and to attempt to cowl up the rising variety of atrocities and massacres being dedicated in opposition to Ukrainian civilians.”
He requested CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale to evaluate a number of the particular deceptions that Russian outfits are distributing. This is one from Dale: “The Russian authorities has claimed that not a single native resident was killed whereas Russian troops have been in Bucha and that proof on the contrary was staged or faked or a hoax. These claims are frankly ridiculous. They’re completely false. It has been conclusively demonstrated that civilians have been certainly killed whereas Russian troops have been in Bucha and, witnesses say, by Russia.”
That is “exhausting” to maintain observe of, Dale added, “and I believe that is the purpose. I believe what Russia is doing is throwing a lot nonsense on the wall, that both a few of it sticks and will get believed, or simply that all of it tires folks out. That folks get so confused and overwhelmed by every thing being contested — even probably the most obvious-seeming of info — that they throw up their arms and say ‘I do not know what’s true. I am unable to maintain observe of all this.’ And that is powerful, and I believe we as journalists must combat exhausting in opposition to that.” Amen…
“They wish to imagine that their nation is sweet”
On the newest episode of CNN’s “Tug of Warfare” podcast, senior worldwide correspondent Matthew Likelihood — who was primarily based in Moscow for years — expressed why Kremlin propaganda is so embraced by so many individuals: It is as a result of “they wish to imagine that their nation is sweet,” not an evil regime that “kills folks for no motive.” Give it some thought, Likelihood stated, “who would wish to acknowledge that there is one thing essentially flawed along with your nation?”
Sean Penn says he considered becoming a member of combat in opposition to Russia
BY OLIVER DARCY:
Sean Penn, who not too long ago frolicked filming a documentary in Ukraine, revealed in an interview with Hollywood Genuine that the actions taken by the Russians enraged him a lot, he beforehand thought of becoming a member of the combat in opposition to the nation. “The one potential motive for me staying in Ukraine longer final time would’ve been for me to be holding a rifle,” Penn stated. Penn went on so as to add: “If you happen to’ve been in Ukraine [fighting] has to cross your thoughts. And also you type of assume what century is that this? As a result of I used to be on the fuel station in Brentwood the opposite day and I am now excited about taking on arms in opposition to Russia? What the f**okay is occurring?” Learn the interview right here…
Additional studying
— George Packer’s latest essay: “I Fear We’ll Quickly Overlook About Ukraine…” (The Atlantic)
— “China’s officers and state media are more and more parroting Russian propaganda organs on the warfare in Ukraine…” (NYT)
— In different information out of China, Shanghai is the “largest lockdown on this planet,” and CNN correspondent David Culver is experiencing it firsthand. He described it to “New Day” co-anchor John Berman: “I am unable to go exterior that door,” he stated. “There is a seal,” and if it is damaged, “there are repercussions for that…” (CNN)
