Resigned Truth

From USA Today:

"Russian TV reporter quits over crash coverage"

A reporter for a global Russian TV channel resigned over what she called the Kremlin-funded station's "disregard for the facts" in its coverage of the downing of the Malaysian passenger jet over Ukraine. Sara Firth, based in London, quit Friday morning after five years with Moscow-based RT. After tweeting her departure, she told the Press Gazette Thursday's coverage was "the straw that broke the camel's back for me." She told the British media trade magazine that as soon as the story broke, "I walked into the newsroom, and they were running an eyewitness account of God knows who the person was blaming the Ukrainian government, and it is such a volatile situation. "It's the level of disrespect for the facts that really bugs me," she said. "I couldn't do it any more, We're lying every single day ... and finding sexier ways to do it." In a Twitter exchange with another RT correspondent before she resigned, Firth said that they spread "lies" and that they "work for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin." "We are asked on a daily basis if not to totally ignore then to obscure the truth," she tweeted. Firth told the Press Gazette hours later that the RT style manual tells the editorial staff to cast blame on Ukraine, or any other factor, instead of Russia. "It's scary that it's genuine RT guidance on how to do a story, and you have to believe it to succeed there. You stop believing that what they say is the way it is and you stop being useful to them." An RT statement said the station was "not surprised" by her resignation, because she had "recently informed us that she was likely to take an offer from another firm." RT, formerly Russia Today, began broadcasting in English in 2005, and then added coverage in Spanish and Arabic. The station says it "provides an alternative perspective on major global events, and acquaints international audience with the Russian viewpoint." Critics call it a mouthpiece for Putin and the Kremlin. In an interview with the Press Gazette last year, Firth, 27, denied the station was biased toward the Russian government.

"Facts are my religion," she said at the time. "When it comes to covering a story, if anyone asked me to alter or drop something, I'd be out. I wouldn't think twice about it." Firth is the second RT staffer to resign this year. In March, Washington-based anchor Liz Wahl quit on the air, saying the station "whitewashes the actions of Putin" and asks her to "promote Russian foreign policy."

^ The RT has been the "unofficial" mouthpiece of the Russian Government since it first started service. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone  - especially a news reporter. As with any media form that is owned and operated by a group, organization or government of course they are going to slant the news to their side. You can't take what you read or hear with 100% truth (whether it's from Russia, Europe, the US, etc.) I try to get information from different sites to get a better picture of what is really going on around the world. For instance, I read European media about Russian news (in English, Russian and sometimes French.) I then read US and Canadian media about Russian news (in English) and finally Russian media (in both Russian and English) about Russian news. Each gives a different viewpoint on what is going on in Russia. I then try and use what I know from my personal experiences with Russians (inside and outside of Russia) and go from there. I don't only focus on Russia when I do this, but also news from within the US and other countries. ^

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/07/18/malaysia-airlines-russian-reporter-quits/12847251/