RT (Russia Today)

RT, also known as Russia Today, is a government-funded autonomous, non-profit global multilingual television news network based in Russia. It was founded in 2005 as Russia Today by the government-owned news agency RIA Novosti to become a sort of Russia's BBC. RT shows round-the-clock news bulletins, documentaries, talk shows, and debates, as well as sports news and cultural programs on Russia. The service is aimed at the overseas news market and broadcast through 22 satellite and 230 cable operators throughout the world. In addition to its English-language broadcast, it also runs Rusiya Al-Yaum, an Arabic language channel, and Spanish-language channels. It also runs a documentary channel. RT has 21 bureaus in 16 countries, with presences in Washington, D.C. , New York, London, Paris, Delhi, Cairo, Baghdad, Kiev and other cities. It employs over 2,000 media professionals worldwide. It broadcasts to 430 million people in over 100 countries. RT America is available to 50 million people in the United States. RT is the second most-watched foreign news channel in the United States, after BBC News. The network's YouTube channel has gained over 700 million views.