Congressional hearing: Russia’s use of pseudo journalism against U.S.

[Newsjock]

Source: Poynter Institute

Russia is essentially “weaponizing” information through the effective, worldwide use of pseudo journalism, a congressional committee was told Wednesday.

“Russia has launched an information war against the West—and we are losing,” said Peter Pomeranzev, a London-based propaganda expert who is a former journalist born in the old Soviet Union.

... Pomeranzev and Elizabeth Wahl, an American and former TV anchor for Russian television, testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee at a session titled, “Confronting Russia’s Weaponization of Information.”

The session appeared to unite both the Republican majority and Democratic minority in concern over what some within the State Department fretfully concede is an effective “peaceful war” waged by Russia.

... Wahl quit her D.C. job last year with the Russian government-funded RT network after seeing “firsthand how this was orchestrated.”

Read more: http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/336013/congressional-hearing-russias-use-of-pseudo-journalism-against-u-s/

[AuntPatsy]

1. Sounds like sour grapes , it appears such is a world wide epidemic

[951-Riverside]

2. They were infiltrating every movement from Annoymous, Wikileaks to the RW Militia movement

I posted about this a year ago

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4964356



This cheesecake model/voice of russia "reporter" using the alias Christine Ann Sands was attending Annoymous events, RW tea bagger events, occupy events around the country and getting cozy with key figures, she was even supplied with a brand new bus.



...then she suddenly disappeared

[Tarheel_Dem]

8. That explains SOOOOOOO much. Thanks for the reminder. n/t

[okaawhatever]

3. I've known this for sometime. Look at how many pro-Russia posters popped up here when the

Crimea/Ukraine business started. I've heard they're investing a lot of money and resources into media in Latin America. I saw something from a Scottish media outlet right before their succession vote that the Kremlin had allocated over $1 Billion to media in foreign countries. That was what was disclosed. Pretty scary.

[AuntPatsy]

4. I think it's a bit scarier that we have our own government approved networking

Media etc, Acting in like manner

[JDPriestly]

5. It's part of the risk of having free speech.

RT has some good programs and some obviously and overly pro-Russian propaganda programs.

Teach American high school students to listen and read critically and they will not be easily confused by propaganda, regardless what government or business or association propagates it.

Living in Europe, I kind of have to laugh at this "scandal." I used to listen to a lot of Voice of America and BBC, especially before I learned the language of the country I was living in. Propaganda is something you learn to filter out. It really isn't worth a congressional hearing. There is utterly nothing to be done about it other than educating people to use their minds to read and listen critically.

I'm more worried about some of the fanatical religious radio that gets people to send in their money to rich evangelists. Now that is a real problem. Especially when vulnerable people who may have psychological problems or may be very elderly are the prey of the evangelists.

[FuzzyRabbit]

6. RT or Fox News: which lies more often and

which is a bigger threat to the US?

[AuntPatsy]

7. Exactly....sometimes it helps to re adjust the focus for a clearer picture...

[Little Tich]

9. The real problem is that much of the Russian propaganda is directed towards Russian minorities

in neighbouring countries, like the Ukraine. In the Ukranie, the ideological groundwork was laid, and then Crimea suddenly was part of Russia.

[MattSh]

11. Sounds like someone who has no clue about that part of the world.

Not surprising though...

[Little Tich]

14. I used to visit englishrussia.com quite a lot. Not anymore, though.

I also hear what Russians in the Baltic are talking about, and they seem to be almost brainwashed.

Putin is the new fascist power of Europe, and he’s started an escalation in Europe that Russia can’t win and Europe doesn’t want.

[MattSh]

10. Maybe the USA needs to clean up their own pseudo-journalism first?

Even when you discount the obvious pseudo-journalists (Fox News, etc), you'd be stupid to rely too heavily even on sources like the NY TImes and WaPo. Most of their Ukraine coverage is non-existent; where it does exist it has a minimal relationship to the truth. Their coverage of anything Middle East related is poor too.

If you get more that 25% of your news from MSM sources, you're guaranteed to end up basically clueless to what is going on in the world.



And probably the most accurate description of how the press really works ever recorded...

[joshcryer]

12. Manufacturing Consent.

It's the same methods.

But whataboutism doesn't really help matters. It should be criticized always and where ever it happens. Our media is a disgrace. So is Russia's.

[Ichingcarpenter]

13. Oh good grief

this is the shit congress spends its time and money on?
talk about pot and kettle bullshit..............