EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks of “poisonous and harmful disinformation in Europe”, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell complains that the Russian state media “RT” and “Sputnik” are developing into instruments of “full war propaganda”.
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The fact is that RT (formerly Russia Today), with its international as well as national television programs for France, Great Britain and Germany, wastes no second on the airwaves to carry on Putin’s tale of a “special operation”. It’s audible, it’s visible that the Russian president doesn’t just want to conquer Ukraine, he wants to protect people’s heads. His war must also be won as a media war.
RT.DE, the corresponding program for Germany, is produced in Berlin. The journalists working here can report whatever they want and spread the Putin sound in its purest form. How much longer is unclear. The Berlin-Brandenburg media authority imposed a broadcast ban on RT.DE at the beginning of February because RT.DE had not applied for a broadcasting license and was not approved. The dispute is before the court, RT.DE initially continues to broadcast.
State-funded broadcaster in Germany?
The dispute revolves around the question of the conditions under which a state-funded broadcaster like RT can get a broadcasting license. What is not decisive is the realization that a ban on state propaganda media will not win the war for correct information either at German or at European level. In these online times, it has become easier for lies to slip through all the holes. Wanting to stuff them all is like an act of Sisyphus: Every new attempt is justified, but it won’t be enough.
The free media in Europe must expand their standards and the associated efforts to provide and convey balanced reporting. Diligent journalism is no small feat, it takes resources, professionals and a compass that doesn’t tumble with the wind. And journalism as a lie detector also needs wide dissemination. Germany and the EU must step up the effort for propagation and distribution. Exposing fake news and fending off fake news is one task and another: supply verifiable facts.
It boils down to the competition of truth and information against untruth and propaganda. And anyone who doesn’t want to get into the ring for truth and information has already lost to Putin.
