On one hand RT is a global broadcasting juggernaut and the second most-watched foreign news channel in the United States. Peter Lavelle’s CrossTalk is the flagship show on the network’s flagship news channel. So there’s something to be said for pushing sanity-tinged positions on the show.
On the other hand the outlet can generously be described as problematic, and this episode of CrossTalk won’t assuage critics who accuse RT of trying to mainstream fringe positions. MEI’s Geneive Abdo and I agree on nearly zero substantive Iran-related positions – substantive in the sense of “relevant to policy-making in the reality we all have to share” – but the two of us spent most of the program pushing back against an Iranian mouthpiece who was intoning catechisms about “medical isotopes.” Very 2008!
Also the crawler content is consistently obnoxious.
Will we see a new level of negotiations in Baghdad? What have we learned from the recent talks in Istanbul? Or will we see a repeat of previous failed discussions over Iran’s uranium enrichment? CrossTalking with Mohammad Marandi, Omri Ceren and Geneive Abdo.
Video:
References:
* Controversies and criticisms [Wiki]
* GeneiveAbdo.com
* CrossTalk: Tehran Talking [RussiaToday / YouTube]
