RTArabic, formerly known as Rusiya Al-Yaum is a Russian state-controlled free-to-air television news channel broadcasting in Arabic and headquartered in Moscow, Russia. Rusiya Al-Yaum started broadcasting on 4 May 2007. The parent company of RT Arabic is TV-Novosti, which is an Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization owned by the Russian Federation. The channel covers a wide variety of events worldwide from the point of view of the Russian government. It also features interviews, debates and stories about cultural life in Russia and major cities.
History
The work at “Rusiya Al-Yaum” began in February, 2006 right after the successful start of its English counterpart “RT” in December, 2005. The test of the first Russian channel in Arabic began on May 4, 2007, and soon started broadcasting in full. At the moment people from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe have open access to the satellite signal of the channel. The potential audience of the channel is 350 million people. The channel can also be watched on the Internet all over the world. As of November 2012, it also became available on myTV, an over-the-top technology platform in North and South America.
Demographics
The channel staff includes experienced Russian and Arab journalists, Russian Arabists and orientalists. Today the multinational team consists of more than 500 employees including natives of Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Tunisia, Oman and other countries. The channel has correspondents in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Great Britain and the USA. The channel also stated in 2007 that it plans to get its own exclusive materials from Syria, Jordan and Iraq in the near future.
Editor-in-chief
Previously, when ANO TV-Novosti announced plans to launch Arabic language channel the editor-in-chief's position was taken by Akram Khuzam. But later he decided to come back to Syria and to start his new project there. Margarita Simonyan, since 2005 editor-in-chief of Russia Today TV news channel broadcasting in English, has been appointed editor-in-chief of Rusiya Al-Yaum TV channel. In her new post, Margarita Simonyan became responsible for the work of both English language Russia Today and Rusiya Al-Yaum, broadcasting in Arabic. Aidar Aganin has been appointed Deputy Editor-in-chief of Arabic Channel.
Programs
Panorama—a weekly round-table discussion where various topics are covered. Each episode is 26-minutes in length and focuses on a various topics and their aspects from different or sometimes controversial points of view.
Persona—26-minute prime-time programme on Fridays - repeated on Saturdays and Sundays. The programme features interesting people with unique knowledge, experience and qualifications in the political, cultural and other fields - at their workplace, in the home, or any other place the guest chooses.
Zoom—weekly edition covering current or unusual events, featuring public personalities or ordinary people in extraordinary situations. This is a dynamic 13-minute story during which events unfold in various locations - from the planet's hot-spots to science laboratories and theatres.
Weekly Report—26-minute news and analysis programme that covers main political events over the previous seven days airing on Fridays and repeated on Saturdays and Sundays.
Press Review—3-minute feature, four times a day, which introduces Arab viewers to interesting items in the Russian and foreign press, with special attention paid to Russian-Arab relations.
Documentaries.—Rusiya Al-Yaum presents a selection of documentaries designed to open new horizons and bring viewers fascinating facts about Russia.
Assessment and Responses
RT Arabic has always been a subject of criticisms for its explicit connections with the Russian government. The parent company of the RT Arabic, TV-Novosti is registered as a state-owned ANO. According to the figure from Russian Ministry of Justice, TV- Novosti, the Russian state provides 176.7 billion rubles in financing and 42.3 million rubles in other funding. On November 9, 2017, RT announced that it had been given a notice deadline to register under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act by the U.S. Justice Department.Although the U. S. Justice Department has never finalized the demand nor made it public, the action has generates a series of responses made by RT and the Russian government. Margarita Simonyan referred to this letter as a "cannibalistic deadline" and argued that this was an attempt to limit RT's functionalities. Top Russian officials has also stated their stand with RT on this matter, and that a retaliation was likely to follow on U.S. foreign media.
Events
• Injured journalist—On 1/29/2020, RT Arabic correspondent Wafa Shabruni was badly injured and lost consciousness by an exploded shell during an militants' weapon depot removal in the southeast Syrian province of Idlib. She was later rescued and taken to Hama State Hospital under the care of Russian military medics. RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan personally thanked the medic and Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu in the Telegram channel for their assistance in this matter. • Israeli Hostility— On 5/17/2015, an RT Arabic journalist was allegedly assulted by Israeli security force during the filming of Jerusalem Day celebrations in Jerusalem, Israel. Similar occurrence took place in 12/9/2017 as an Israeli security force soldier was attacking RT Arabic journalist.
