CAIRO: In an effort to provide Arab living rooms around the world with insight into Russian international and domestic affairs, Russian TV is launching the Arabic TV channel; Rusiya Al-Yaum or "Russia Today. Broadcasting from Moscow, the channel delivers news on Russian-Arab relations and Russia's role in world politics 20 hours a day, to a potential audience of 350 million people. The initiative to start the channel in 2006 came as an immediate result of the success of Russia Today; Russia's premiere English language TV channel. "There has been a need for this channel for a long time. The integration of mass media has grown to become a global trend and Russia is involved in the process as well. Russia enjoys strong economic and cultural relations with Arab countries, and this is an opportunity to explain how Russia understands international developments and to share the views of its people, said Sergey Frolov, director general of operating company ANO TV-Novosti, at a press conference in Cairo this week. The first Russian TV channel in Arabic, Rusiya Al-Yaum, is to provide a "new window into modern Russia for the Arab world with a staff of more than 500 people. A large part of the channel's correspondents have supposedly been drawn directly from North Africa and the Middle East. Rusiya Al-Yaum's primary goal is to provide breaking news, but the channel will also air documentaries, special features and exclusive interviews. "The main objective of Rusiya Al-Yaum is to establish an ongoing dialogue with Arab communities and improve the perception of Russia in the Arab world. We were pleased to learn that many people were waiting for Rusiya Al-Yaum to launch its broadcasts, and we have received a lot of positive feedback that is helping us shape future programming. In fact, thanks to the suggestions of our viewers, we are already producing more original content and extending our network of professional reporters, Frolov stated. Media analysts, however, remain skeptical of the objectivity of international broadcast channels such as Rusiya Al-Yaum. "I do not think these kinds of news outlets provide objective news to their viewers. It is no secret that many of the international broadcast channels promote the policies of their respective national governments, Naila Hamdy, assistant professor of journalism and mass communications at the American University in Cairo, told Daily News Egypt. According to Sameh Selim of Rusiya Al-Yaum's public relations agency Asdaa, the channel is quickly increasing in popularity since its establishment in May this year. "We have received very positive responses from our viewers so far. The channel is now available in several world regions, including the United States, some parts of Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa region, Selim told Daily News Egypt. In Egypt, Rusiya Al-Yaum airs on NileSat 103 and is headed by Ashraf Al- Sabghra, a veteran correspondent with tenures at several renowned Egyptian publications such as Al Ahram and Al Gomhuria. Rusiya Al-Yaum is owned and operated by nonprofit organization TV-Novosti and claims to maintain an "impartial editorial policy and an aim to "objectively present Russia's role in global, regional and domestic affairs. .
