Russia TV focuses on Ferguson with Anonymous' help
ST. LOUIS — As the world awaits the Ferguson grand jury decision on whether to indict police officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of Michael Brown, a review of Twitter users identifying with the group Anonymous shows a reluctance to deal with traditional news outlets. However, there are many interactions with Russia's English language RT, which is broadcast in the United States, England and Canada.
Russian television highlights strains in the American fabric. With a polished presentation, it may be surprising to note the news agency's interest in the "hactivist" group Anonymous.
It's hard to distinguish RT's professional broadcasts with American and British anchors from other 24-hour news channels, but in its online description, RT acknowledges it focuses on bringing news from "the Russian viewpoint."
The network airs on satellite, online and on cable in several American markets including Washington, D.C., but not in the St. Louis area near Ferguson.
A search Monday of RT.com for the term "Ferguson" returned more than 600 results, while a search for the term "anonymous" brought more than 2,100 hits.
RT prints headlines and broadcasts interviews on the group Anonymous and their efforts to "bring down regimes." It even refers to Anonymous as "freedom fighters."
In turn, Anonymous tweets and retweets many RT headlines.
The operator of the @OPFerguson Twitter account has even tweeted RT directly saying "we need to talk."
An Anonymous YouTube video announcing hacks of Ku Klux Klan websites shows and names purported area members of the Klan.
The usually reclusive Anonymous even gave RT an interview a few weeks ago explaining the group's push for individual rights.
"Why they now monitor all of our phone calls, they monitor our e-mails, they monitor our free speech," said Anonymous member Old Holborn during the interview.
When the local Anonymous Twitter feed @OPFerguson was asked for an interview, they responded via Twitter: "You're (expletive deleted) crazy. For one, we are not even in the USA much less in Ferguson. Second we only meet with bib MSMs (mainstream media) we trust."
@OPFerguson offered to answer questions via e-mail. Russian TV did not offer to answer any questions.
Ptacek also reports for WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C.