Russian TV is not about Russia: Ukraine, US, EU get six times more attention in last week’s most watched shows

• This is a weekly summary of the main topics on Russia’s most-watched TV news channels.
• The news shows’ agenda in Russia is carefully attuned to serve the Kremlin’s needs.
• Therefore, following Russian state-controlled media sheds light on our understanding of how the Kremlin seeks to influence the Russian-speaking audience in Russia and beyond. Read the story here.
• The EU vs Disinfo monitoring of pro-Kremlin disinformation also reveals that many of the themes set out in Russia’s most popular state TV news programmes find their way into European outlets.

Foreign affairs vs. Russian affairs: 60 – 11

We looked into the topics that were reported and discussed in 15 political and analytical talk shows, broadcast last week on Russia’s three most-watched TV channels (Pervy Kanal Rossiya-1 and NTV). We identified a total of 71 topics, out of which 60 were about events outside Russia or about international relations. Only 11 topics exclusively relating to Russia were discussed.

Rupture and rifts: This week’s main messages

The cohort of analytical and political programmes was broadcast between 13 and 19 October 2017 on Russia’s three dominating TV channels: Pervy Kanal, Rossiya-1 and NTV. A total of approximately 21 hours of television (including commercial breaks) were tagged with key topics. Here is our breakdown:

“60 Minut” Rossiya 1, 19:00 Moscow time on 13 October. Duration: 60 minutes, link to the programme.

• 3 international topics: Pressure being put on Russian speakers in Ukraine; construction of a maritime operations center at Ukraine’s Ochakiv Naval Base; Ukraine’s controversial language law;
• no domestic topics.

“Mesto Vstrechi” NTV, 14:00 Moscow time on 13 October. Duration: 2 hours, link to the program.

• 6 international topics: Donald Trump’s reported plans to boost the US nuclear arsenal; disagreements between Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson; the US stance on the Iran nuclear deal; US-Russia nuclear standoff; Nato deploying a tank division near Russia’s borders; the situation on the Korean peninsula; and Mikhail Gorbachev’s appeal to Putin and Trump;
• no domestic topics.

“Vesti Nedeli” Rossiya-1 20:00 Moscow time on 15 October. Duration: 2 hours 26 minutes, link to the program.

• 14 international topics,
• 6 domestic.

Select topics: “Nazi orgy” in Ukraine; US accuses Russia of fomenting racial hatred with the help of Pokemon Go; why the Americans are taking down Russian flags from Russian diplomatic missions; Ukraine’s probe into the murder of a former Russian MP in Kyiv; the refurbishment of the massive Motherland Calls monument in Russia; a look behind trade in the paranormal in Russia.

“Vecher s Vladimirom Solovyovym” Rossiya-1 22:30Moscow time on 15 October. Duration: 2 hours 26 minutes, link to the program.

• 2 international topics: Rift in EU-US relations over Iran; Europe fails to condemn a nationalist march in Kyiv on Saturday;
• no domestic topics.

“Voskresnoye Vremya” Pervy Kanal, 21:00 Moscow time on 15 October. Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes, link to the program.

• 6 international topics,
• 2 domestic.

Select topics: International youth festival begins in Sochi with Putin’s address; construction of bridge to Crimea continues; what is former Russian MP Ponomaryov doing in Ukraine; US is in the grip of madness.

“Itogi Nedeli” NTV, 19:00 Moscow time on 15 October. Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes, link to the program.

• 13 international topics,
• 2 domestic.

Select topics: Poroshenko’s troubles in Ukraine; Catalonia standoff continues; “white widows” in Syria.

“Vremya Pokazhet” Pervy Kanal, 17:00 Moscow time on 16 October. Duration: 60 minutes, link to the program.

• 3 international topics: Washington’s foreign policy; a statement by German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel that a US withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran would push the EU to Russia and China; Russia will soon be able to keep the United States in check;
•  no domestic topics.

“60 Minut” Rossiya-1 TV, 19:00 Moscow time on 16 October. Duration: 1 hour, link to the program.

• 3 international topics: North Korea, possible US arms delivery to Ukraine, and Ukraine’s school tuition language law;
• no domestic topics.

“60 Minut” Rossiya-1 TV, 19:00 Moscow time on 17 October. Duration: 1 hour, link to the program.

• 1 international topic: Anti-government protests in Ukraine;
• no domestic topics.

“Vremya Pokazhet” Pervy Kanal TV 17:00Moscow time on 17 October. Duration: 1 hour, link to the program.

• 1 international topic: The latest protests in Kyiv;
• no domestic topics.

“Vecher s Vladimirom Solovyovym” Rossiya-1, 20:15 Moscow time on 17 October. Duration: 2 hours 28 minutes, link to the program.

• 1 international topic: The protests in central Kyiv are farcical and proof of Ukraine failing as a state;
• no domestic topics.

“Vremya Pokazhet” Pervy Kanal, 17:00 Moscow time on 18 October.Duration: 60 minutes, link to the program.

• 1 international topic: Protests in Kyiv may turn into another revolution or Maidan;
• no domestic topics.

“60 Minut” Rossiya-1 TV, 19:00 Moscow time on 18 October. Duration: 60 minutes, link to the program.

• 1 international topic: Anti-government demonstrations in Ukraine are run by oligarchs and the United States;
• no domestic topics.

“Vremya Pokazhet” Pervy Kanal, 17:00 Moscow time on 19 October. Duration: 60 minutes (including commercial breaks), link to the program.

• 1 international topic: Russia is able to resist US pressure and the United States should cooperate with Russia to resolve problems around the world instead of breaking international law;
• no domestic topics.

“60 Minut” Rossiya-1 TV, 19:00 Moscow time on 19 October. Duration: 60 minutes, link to the program.

• 3 international topics: East-West crisis, Ukraine crisis, Catalonia crisis.
• 1 domestic topic: Ksenia Sobchak runs for the Russian presidency.

Note on methodology: Two topics were labeled neither international nor domestic due to their cross-national nature, namely the World Festival of Youth and Students held in Sochi and the Interparliamentary Union Assembly, hosted by Russia in St. Petersburg.

Disinformation on Pervy Kanal, Rossiya-1 and NTV

• Examples of disinformation on Pervy Kanal reported to the Disinformation Review database.
• Examples of disinformation on Rossiya-1 reported to the Disinformation Review database.
• Examples of disinformation on NTV reported to the Disinformation Review database.