Rossiya Segodnya (Russian for “Russia Today”) is a news agency that was created on and inherited the operation of the RIA Novosti news agency. It is not affiliated with RT, the international television broadcaster operated by the Russian government.
Rossiya Segodnya operates a portfolio of news portals, many of which are tailored to foreign audiences. The group’s portfolio includes Sputnik News, which has news sites in a dozen languages, RIA News, the agency’s main news portal, and news websites targeting countries where Russia aims to achieve influence, such as Baltnews (aimed at the Baltic countries), Ukraina and RIA Novosti Crimea. Additionally, the group has a few specialized websites covering topics such as real estate, education, and financial news.
Media assets
News portals: Sputnik News, RIA Novosti, RIA Novosti Sport, RIA Rating, RIA Novosti Crimea, INOSMI, Baltnews Lithuania, Baltnews Latvia, Baltnews Estonia, Ukraina, Prime, Realty, Social Navigator, The Arctic, Russia Beyond the Headlines
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
Rossiya Segodnya was established as a successor to the news agency RIA Novosti, which was shut down in 2013 as part of a larger strategy of the Kremlin to build a strong digital news operation. Rossiya Segodnya was established as a state-owned company in accordance with a presidential order.
The company’s management is selected based on their demonstrated loyalty to the Kremlin. Dmitry Kiselyov serves as the company’s head and is regarded as an unofficial spokesperson for Mr. Putin. Kiselyov’s statements disparaging the LGBT community and the United States have generated significant controversy in recent years.
Source of funding and budget
Rossiya Segodnya is primarily funded by the federal government, receiving one of the largest budget allocations among all state-run media outlets. In 2020, the company received a state subsidy amounting to approximately RUB 6.7bn (equivalent to US$ 93m). According to media reports, the Rossiya Segodnya budget increased to RUB 7.6bn in 2021 and further to RUB 9.3bn in 2022.
Editorial independence
Rossiya Segodnya is a media outlet that serves as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin. Its editorial coverage is designed with the explicit goal of advancing Russian government interests and discrediting countries or groups that the Kremlin deems adversarial.
A substantial body of evidence, including media reports, academic studies, and NGO analyses, indicates that Rossiya Segodnya is a prominent media entity engaged in disseminating Kremlin propaganda. In the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Kiselyov has been identified as a potential threat to the country’s national security.
To date, no domestic statute and no independent assessment or oversight mechanism to validate Rossiya Segodnya’s editorial independence has been identified.
September 2024