RT News correspondent receives death threats for reporting.

[another_liberal]

Russia Today News reporter, Paula Slier, says she has received death threats in response to her reporting from the war zones in eastern Ukraine. One of the few international correspondents to actually report from the front lines in eastern Ukraine, Slier has brought images of combat and the faces and voices those caught up in the Ukrainian civil war to us in stark, powerful style, representative of the best traditions of her profession. Yet this is how she was treated at a symposium regarding the risks and dangers she and her colleagues face on the job?

RT's Paula Slier


‘Death threats on Facebook, Twitter for my reports’


RT correspondent Paula Slier faced strong anti-Russian bias during an OSCE panel on the freedom of journalism. She was invited to speak about her experience as a reporter while covering the situation in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine. Slier was attending a panel entitled ‘Professional Journalist: How to escape a deadly danger’ in Warsaw, Poland on Thursday, where she wanted to share her impressions that journalists nowadays have become targets.

“I mentioned that I receive death threats on Facebook and Twitter for my reports on RT, that my colleagues have been – and continue to be – denied entry into Ukraine,” Slier said later to RT. She added that despite repeated requests, RT “continues to be refused ‘ATO [Anti-terrorist operation] accreditation’ which means that RT crews cannot film in areas controlled by the Ukrainian Army. Unfortunately for the most part delegates were not open to hearing my point of view. They kept repeating that Russian media is propaganda and that we tell lies. When I challenged them on this, they were unable to support their claims," Slier said.

One speaker at the panel claimed that people in eastern Ukraine are afraid to speak to Russian Television. He added that “many RT workers” quit because they “didn’t want to lie or to take part in the manipulations.”

“I am talking to people in eastern Ukraine who are suffering a humanitarian crisis, who are losing their family and friends, fathers and sons and who feel that their stories are not told by Western media, who speaks with one voice,” Slier responded to one harsh remark. She raised the point that people from eastern Ukraine were afraid to talk to RT “because it was the Ukrainian Army they feared, and they believed it would target them for telling the truth, as they saw it, to a Russian channel.” She said that only two RT journalists had quit on-air, not “many of them,” as the speaker claimed. And there are many more RT journalists “who continue to work for the channel and are proud to do so,” she added, “The point is that viewers have their own prejudices when consuming news and because someone didn’t like what Russian media was reporting, was not reason enough to accuse it of being propaganda.” According to Slier, many in the Western media are covering events in Ukraine from "the safe haven" of the United Kingdom, United States or Kiev.

(snip)

Read more, and view videos of Slier's reporting, at: http://rt.com/news/190808-osce-panel-slier-rt/

[Historic NY]

1. Perhaps she should buy a clue...

its the russian in RT...

[another_liberal]

2. Then you support how she was treated, right?

I wondered how long it would take until someone here did.

[MattSh]

24. I'd ask you to sell her one...

but apparently you don't have any to spare.

[sabrina 1]

40. She is an excellent International Reporter who doesn't work only for RT. Talk about

getting a clue. Know anything about this woman?? She is not Russian for one thing, she is a Journalist however, and a very courageous one, always has been.

Your assumption about these reporters shows how little you know about them. Many are stringers who work for other news agencies also.

I guess we don't believe in protecting the Press anymore.

Are you aware of how many journalists were kidnapped and how many have died in that conflict? Just like Iraq!

I guess journalists deserve to die if they are not willing to be like ours, stenographers for the Corporations.

RIP to all the brave reporters who have died in all of our recent conflicts.

She needs to be very careful, they MEAN it as we have seen.

[Historic NY]

41. She is a pawn, and where did I even mention she was russian... you have been duped!!!!

RT is Putin's propaganda wing.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/03/pathetic-lives-of-putins-american-dupes.html

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/putin-fights-war-of-images-and-propaganda-with-russia-today-channel-a-916162.html

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/russia-uses-state-television-to-sway-opinion-at-home-and-abroad-a-971971.html


http://www.stopfake.org/en/russia-today-putin-s-weapon-in-the-war-of-images/


http://news-beta.slashdot.org/story/13/08/13/182252/russia-today-vladimir-putins-weapon-in-the-war-of-images

http://leftfootforward.org/2013/12/steer-clear-of-russia-today-if-you-are-serious-about-human-rights/

[sabrina 1]

42. Prove that female journalist is a pawn or your words mean nothing. What do you know about her?

Would you like some links about our OWN 'propaganda machine', thanks a few examples btw.

I asked you about this Journalist, you have posted NOTHING to support your 'she's a pawn' claim.

And, should journalists be receiving DEATH THREATS? You didn't answer that either.

If you have nothing more than this comment, then my statement about this excellent journalist, stands.

She is an excellent journalist, do you know where she IS from btw?

[Historic NY]

50. Well she is working for Putin...

you don't think her reporting isn't biased by the hand that feeds her. Perhaps she should go back home to South Africa, if she feel so threatened.

[sabrina 1]

54. She works for herself. She is a well known journalist all over the world who has worked for many

news agencies as do many of the journalists on these foreign networks. I asked if you knew anything about her, thanks for the reply. This is EMBARRASSING for DU. It is the same thing we saw on FR regarding Al Jazeera. How did you feel about THOSE journalists?

I can tell from your comments that you are not a viewer of RT. If you were you would know that people see more negative reporting on Putin there over the past number of years, than we see on the MSM here. If he's personally paying those journalists, he should get his money back.

Btw, who pays OUR 'journalists'? If we have any, I'm trying to think if there actually ARE any real war correspondents and/or investigative journalists on the MSM any more.

[Historic NY]

56. We should end this since your and avowed fan of state run media...

and obviously a Putininista.


I knew I had to quit. I’d been a correspondent for RT—the English-language international cable network funded by the Russian government—for about two and a half years. I’d looked the other way as the network smeared America for the sake of making the Kremlin look better by comparison, while it sugarcoated atrocities by one brutal dictator after another. I’d been thinking about leaving for a long time, but was trying to hang in there until I figured out my next move.

Then Russia invaded Ukraine, and I came to see just how dangerous a propaganda tool the network was. I couldn’t be a part of it any longer. I decided, somewhat arbitrarily, that March 5th would be my last day. And when that day came, after some particularly egregious coverage of the Ukraine crisis, I knew my resignation had to be public; I couldn’t just silently disappear. That afternoon, I went to the bathroom to scribble down some thoughts before making my dramatic exit. During the 5 p.m. broadcast, after the coverage of Ukraine wrapped up, I made my closing statements:

“I cannot be part of a network funded by the Russian government that whitewashes the actions of Putin,” I said. “I am proud to be an American and believe in disseminating the truth. And that is why, after this newscast, I am resigning.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/03/liz-wahl-quit-russia-today-putins-pawn-104888.html#ixzz3EgBHWlKQ



http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/03/liz-wahl-quit-russia-today-putins-pawn-104888.html#.VCjsvyvUhkg

[sabrina 1]

59. It's 'you're' an avowed, , not 'your' an avowed. Deleted

my other post as your comment, posted without blockquotes made it appear you were that right winger who pulled that stunt on RT with the help of that right wing loon, whose name I can't remember and isn't worth looking up.

I think every one of her colleagues breathed a sigh of relief when she finally left. She was apparently not very popular with her fellow colleagues.

Quite the Putinista she was, staying at a network she believed was 'smearing America' for TWO AND A HALF YEARS. I would not stay at such a place for a single DAY. But she's a Right Winger, what can you expect.

That was a mistake on the part of RT. But it happens to every network.

She was definitely more suited to Fox than to a network which has received awards for serious journalism. I heard they were trying to get rid of her, and had reduced her time on the air. Her little stunt didn't get much attention except on wingnut forums.

The truth was she was not popular , right wingers rarely are, with other journalists and was not very professional. I don't even remember her, so she wasn't very notable. Apparently she wanted MORE 'face time' but didn't have what it takes to do that kind of job.

She's more Fox material than a serious news person.

Thanks for reminding me, she doesn't seem to last long wherever she goes.

Btw, personal attacks with a Right Wing flavor 'Sadam Lover/Putinista, say a whole lot more about the person resorting to that low level, than it does about me. I got used to that on Right Wing forums. Any reason why you, a Dem I presume, would adapt right wing personal attacks against Democrats? I've been wanting to ask that question for a while. Right Wingers are the dumbest people on the planet so why would anyone HERE want to COPY their lame, stupid talking points? We used to LAUGH at them, and here you are IMITATING them?

Saddam Lover! Lol, we drove them crazy, because we refused to believe the lies. Liberals are like that, they see through the lies and the stupid crap.

Dahl! Lol! A right wing tool, being used as 'proof' of something, on DU! Never thought I'd see that day!

[SidDithers]

3. RT. LOL...nt

Sid

[William769]

19. Spot on!

[sabrina 1]

43. The Corporate Media LOL ...

[SidDithers]

44. "RT is watched now by over 50 million US households." LOL...nt

Sid

[sabrina 1]

45. Way more than that now. That was YEARS ago. Lol ... nt

[Duckhunter935]

51. watched is different

Last edited Sun Sep 28, 2014, 05:57 PM - Edit history (1)

than available. It is on Dish and I never will watch that crap

[sabrina 1]

55. How can you tell 'it's crap' if you never have and never will watch it?

That's quite amazing. I have to actually see something before I can tell if it's crap.

[Duckhunter935]

60. Because I have seen it here

it is one sided propaganda crap

[sabrina 1]

65. What have you seen here that you consider crap? I see crap from the MSM posted here

ever day and if you want an example, I can definitely provide plenty of them with proof of the decpetions we are exposed to on a regular basis.

I'm not sure what 'crap' means to you, but I know what it is to me. To some people, eg, 'crap' is the truth when they prefer not to acknowledge the truth for whatever reason. Right Wingers eg, hate RT, Al Jazeera and any news media that isn't Corporate Funded here and more than willing to 'catapult the propaganda' they WANT to believe.

[Oktober]

4. Oh poor baby...

Your peers don't have respect for your role as Putin's ventriloquist dummy?

[another_liberal]

5. What are you talking about . . .

"Putin's ventriloquist dummy?"

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

[Oktober]

7. The only way it could be clearer is if he literally had his hand...

... Moving her mouth from the backside.

[MattSh]

25. Her peers?

No, it's the Ukrainian Nazis that commit their crimes and don't want the truth to come out.

[11 Bravo]

6. She should be ridiculed, but not threatened.

Leave the threats and bluster to Putin (the fuckwad who is pulling her strings).

[another_liberal]

8. Why should she be "Ridiculed?"

Just curious?

[11 Bravo]

9. Because R/T is even less of a legitimate "news" organ than is FOX.

It is a state-controlled propaganda outlet which routinely peddles outright lies and other assorted bullshit.

[another_liberal]

11. That is what some people say . . .

However, I have seen no evidence.

[Adrahil]

15. You mean you ignore all the evidence.

You remind me of creationists.... just listen to the parts you WANT to listen to, and believe the most elaborate twisting of the facts that conform to the way you want to see the world.

You want credibility, RT? Be credible.

[another_liberal]

16. No need to resort to insults . . .

Just because our cherished personal notions may be challenged somehow, that is no reason to call others names.

[Adrahil]

21. I didn't insult you. I called it like I see it.

If you consider that insulting, then I suggest a long self-assessment.

[Cha]

33. And, who even knows if what she says is true Or Putin told her to say it? It's Putin's RW Propaganda

Outlet ffs. Who's going to take her at her word except those pushing RT?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

53. One of their own said it

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/18/sara-firth-resigns-russia-today-lies-anchor_n_5598815.html

Oh, and...

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/05/world/europe/russia-news-anchor-resigns/

[sabrina 1]

46. Why should a journalist be ridiculed? Why should a woman be ridiculed, why should ANYONE

be ridiculed?

Do you KNOW anything about this Journalist?

Post something of hers, that causes you to enourage people to engage in the nasty practice of 'ridiculoing female journalists.

[11 Bravo]

62. I could give a flying fuck about the reproductive organs of ...

the "journalist" in question. This one happens to be a female who works for a pure propaganda outlet. She is every bit as deserving of ridicule as Chris Wallace, Brett Baier, Megyn Kelly, and the rest of the alleged "journalists" at FoxNews.

[sabrina 1]

66. Give us an example of what you consider to be 'propaganda' so we can compare her work

to the work of other journalists.

Just personally attacking a journalist means nothing, it's merely someone who is frustrated about something no one else understands. We ARE a political discussion forum or used to. Not a place for people to yell and mock and scream about nothing. So far you have nothing other than yell 'this woman should be mocked'. Okay, provide something more than that, or this means nothing.

What would be convincing would be some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism so that people seeing these personal attacks can decide if they are just temper tantrums or actually have some foundation, some reason.

[zappaman]

10. Hahahahahaha

RT.

[NuclearDem]

12. Death threats against any reporter are unacceptable.

[another_liberal]

17. Trust nothing . . .

But listen to everything.

[Scootaloo]

28. You sure? Looks like a lot of DU'ers find it perfectly agreeable

[whathehell]

31. Exactly..There is nothing funny about this.

[riderinthestorm]

39. + 10000. I can't believe some of these responses nt

[Nye Bevan]

13. Well, if Russia Today says it, it must be true. (nt)

[mythology]

14. Her colleagues should be denied entry to Ukraine

In fact Ukraine would be better off if they could also deny the entry of Russian soldiers as well.

Fuck Russia Today. It's an absolute joke of a "news" agency.

[malaise]

18. Some of the responses here are unbelievable

No surprise.

[nationalize the fed]

23. +1

[MattSh]

26. The type of responses you'd expect from the Fox News crew...

But not from DU. At least DU in more enlightened times.

[99Forever]

38. Rightwing tools don't...

... just live on Fox "news". They burrow into lots of places.

[sabrina 1]

47. Stunning, isn't it? On DU. 'Ridicule a female journalist who has received death threats'.

How very 'liberal' of them.

[edhopper]

20. 0n Face book and Twitter?

That's as serious as half the people on reality TV.

It must mean Ukraine deserves to be invaded by Russia.

You really hard scraping the bottom of by our pro-Putin in propaganda.

[Terra Alta]

22. It's Russia Today...

Granted she doesn't deserve death threats, but she is in total denial if she thinks RT isn't a Russian propaganda tool.

[MattSh]

27. Kerry said so...

so it must be true!

The US government never lies... except when someone opens their mouth.

[Purveyor]

29. And you are in denial if you think our MSM is not a propaganda tool for corporate/mic

news complex.

Pot/kettle...both blackened but both versions of the story should be evaluated.

[woo me with science]

30. Yup. It's the purveyors of corporate talking points wailing here against RT.

Read everything. Trust no one.

[Cha]

32. RT is Russian Propaganda.. just like our Corporate "news" is RW Propaganda.. so they have

that in common. Fucking RW Bullshit.

[Tarheel_Dem]

34. TYT/Buzzfeed: "Russia's Online Troll Army Is Huge, Hilarious & Already Everywhere "

"Moscow is financing legions of pro-Russia Internet commenters. But how much do they matter?"

"Russia's campaign to shape international opinion around its invasion of Ukraine has extended to recruiting and training a new cadre of online trolls that have been deployed to spread the Kremlin's message on the comments section of top American websites."




She's being bullied on social media? Don't they have a way to counteract that? Why yes. Yes they do.

[nilesobek]

35. My ignore list is growing. These comments will not go unpunished.

Its sad to see that people are so vociferously stupid. Thanks for the thread A.L.

[sufrommich]

36. "These comments will not go unpunished."

What?

[nilesobek]

37. "Punished," by the eternal ignore button.

People who glory in journalists threatened. People who are so rabidly infected with Russophobia they have left all their humanity behind.

[sabrina 1]

48. Especially since some of he colleagues HAVE BEEN KILLED in Ukraine. It is disgusting

to see these comments here and if she, as has happened to many of Journalists in Ukraine is kidnapped, tortured or worse, as has also happened, killed, these people who are encouraging the hatred towards people who are doing their jobs, will share the blame.

[Duckhunter935]

52. when you stand and report next to a legitimate

military target, you might get killed.

[snooper2]

64. These posters will feel my wrath!

Oh wait, but if you are ignoring them...how will you...

LOL

[nilesobek]

69. It was childish, I'm sorry.

[Blue_Tires]

49. Any "death threats" she's getting, she fabricated herself...

[sabrina 1]

58. Do you know that some of her colleagues, two RT journalists airc have been killed in Ukraine?

I guess they are fabricating their deaths, no? Reporters Without Borders among other Civil Rights Organizations have been following these egregious deaths of reporters in that country over the past months.

She is in very great danger as were all reporters who were in that country.

Others have been kidnapped and tortured there.

Al Jazeera Reporters were targeted also in Iraq. Did you think they were fabricating the threats they were getting also?

RWB are taking these threats very seriously, so I'll go with their opinion of whether or not they are 'fabricated'.

[Duckhunter935]

61. when you report from a

Last edited Mon Sep 29, 2014, 05:31 AM - Edit history (1)

military target, you might get killed.

Those two were next to a pro-Russian APC at a check point that was targeted.

[sabrina 1]

67. Yes, like the reporters in Iraq who were targeted. Funny we on the left had no problem

KNOWING that they were targeted, wearing their press helmets etc. While the Right insisted they were stupidly right in the firing zone. It's instructive., or has been. to watch the flipping of positions on so many issues since Bush left the WH.

Here's what most want, they want FACTS even if they turn out to be inconvenient. Reporters in Ukraine were KIDNAPPED, BEATEN and DISAPPEARED. That should NEVER happen and no matter what the issue, without freedom of the press there is no country, no democracy, no 'good guys', only BAD GUYS.

Iow, many people are now assessing just what it is they are 'fighting' for.

I accept nothing from people who have been trying to silence journalists since this conflict began, either side. Beating up reporters, kidnapping them, disappearing them is not a good sign in terms of who these people are.

[snooper2]

63. Well at least she wasn't kidnapped and beaten like Simon from VICE, a REAL news organization

[another_liberal]

68. Your point?

Are you suggesting death threats sent to correspondents are acceptable?

If so, or if not, please explain.

[MohRokTah]

70. Cool story, bro. eom