Russia Today on Freeview.

Russia Today now broadcasts on Freeview 24 hours a day on channel 85.
I like it a lot. What opinions do other people have of Russia Today ?

I've not really watched enough to be able to comment on its journalistic standards, but the general appearance of the channel seems very, very cheap.

No matter what's going on in the world, they'll always bang on about Georgia. Their agenda is obviously pro-Russian, but what many won't realise is to what extent. Of what I've seen, there is little to no balance whatsoever. It is Russian propaganda. On it's own, it's useless to the average Briton, but watched with other networks, I guess it's of limited use.

Away from its news programmes, The Keiser Report is hilarious and well worth a watch.

Is it a news channel in the same way as BBC/Sky News and CNN or is it a Russian news channel focusing on Russian news?

Have seen it for a few moments while channel hopping but like not quite sure who it is aimed at in the UK?

It's almost entirely Russian news. They do have international news sections now and again.

Have just watched a few clips on You Tube of this bloke and he the one that is always on when I tune in!

He is a TV gem. Never sure if he is talking to his guest/the camera or someone behind the camera!!

If it is Russian news then who the hell do they think is watching it in the UK? Do we have a large Russian population?

But you could argue this for any of the international-sourced news channels on Sky, such as CCTV News, France 24 and NHK. Do we have large Chinese, French and Japanese populations?

Russia Today is very much like an English Language, Russian domestic, 24 hour news broadcaster, that has chosen to broadcast internationally, in the same way that Fox News Channel is a US domestic news channel, that has chosen to broadcast internationally. It is way too focused on Russian news, and way too pro-Russian as well.

By contrast to other channels mentioned, CCTV News (used to be CCTV9) is very much an international news channel, though again with a pro-Chinese slant. France 24 is very much an international news channel, though the channel covers more domestic news (from France in this case) than most other comparable international news channels. And NHK World, is very much evolving from a domestic English Language broadcaster to an international news and information channel.

I put Russia Today in the same category as CCTV News, Press TV and Fox News as all these channels have a very biased view of the world, where as the likes of NHK World, France 24 and CNNI are far less biased.

Apart from France24 I have never heard of those news channels so unable to comment.

Putting a channel on Freeview that has such a limited target audience doesn't seem to be a great way to spend missions of pounds (assuming they have spent missions gaining the slot) and an odd decision to make. Down here in Devon I would be very surprised if this was even on the radar of Freeview viewers.

Whenever I have watched it, it doesn't seem to have any commercial breaks.
So who is paying to keep it on the air ?

I would prefer to have CNNI then Russia Today on the 24 hour slot

The Russian taxpayer.