Evolution and revolution: RT’s experts look to 2013

Live from the brand new central studio in Moscow, RT broadcasting has kicked off 2013 by talking to prominent opinion makers about the upcoming New Year events and issues.

During RT's first broadcast in 2013 Anissa Naouai, Kevin Owen and Rory Suchet have discussed pressing topics of the outgoing year and what effect, if any, it will have in 2013. American and European economic worries as well as US gun politics, but also the Russian opposition movement, were commented on by RT’s guests.

“This is the year we see banksters in jail,” Max Keiser has told the first broadcast team in Moscow. The host of RT’s ‘Max Keiser Show,’ speaking from London, added that ordinary people will continue to suffer in 2013 from government-imposed and bank-sponsored bailouts throughout the world. Max also promised “50 shades of fun” for his special someone on the first night of the New Year.

“The fiscal cliff is just more theater from bankers and politicians trying to distract people from the underlying root catastrophe that is a bunch of whackers and  bankers who are manipulating the system day in and day out destroying the economy,” Keiser said of the US economy.

He predicted more of the same in 2013: “Anything to deflect attention from the mob with their pitchforks and their tortures, who are coming after these people. They just want to delay this day of reckoning for as many months as they can.”

Moving stateside, RT Tom Hartman warned of a revolution in US politics as it comes out of the economic predicament and pointed out the flaws in the US judicial system’s stance on gun control, “as too much money is being made with guns.” Tom has also recapped RT’s unique opportunity to host US third party US presidential debates.

Back in the Moscow studio Peter Lavelle, the host of CrossTalk, has said that the Russian political arena does not have a strong opposition leader following the mass protests across Russia in 2012. The only way to move forward and gain a political voice in politics is to join one of some 40 political parties in the Russian parliament, according to Lavelle.

The role of the Iranian nuclear program and the country’s upcoming leadership election were widely discussed with journalist Afshin Rattansi. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s foreign policy went from “success to success” as the Iranian leader faces a job change in 2013. Despite being “demonised” by the Western media and facing increasing international pressure over the country’s push to secure peaceful atomic energy, Ahmadinejad triumphed diplomatically by hosting a non-aligned movement summit, Rattansi added. However, who will win Iran’s summer Presidential race, still remains a mystery. 

Changing the viewers’ attention to other pressing issues of the day, RT had time to speak with Asia Times Correspondent Pepe Escobar about what he called the “rape of Syria.” The journalist predicted that the conflict could follow the Lebanese Civil War scenario and continue for another fifteen years.

RT’s Washington’s best had also voiced their opinions on the outgoing 2012, with highlights of the channel’s unique experience covering the US presidential race, to President’s Obama drone strike policies.

Alternative man of the year was named Julian Assange by the RT’s internet poll, while New Years festivities in the Russian capital included the breathtaking fireworks that marked the beginning of 2013.

Photo from livejournal.com user m_simonyan

­Behind the scenes

­Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at RT? Well, here is your chance to find out how it all works at your source of reliable daily news.

Rory Suchet showcased the channel’s own state of the art High Definition studio, packed with state-of-the-art technology to deliver the sharpest pictures and editorial to a screen near you.

The switch to HD was enabled by RT moving its studios and office headquarters to a brand new facility in Moscow. RT’s relocation on the eve of its seventh anniversary is the result of the extraordinary growth experienced by the network since its inception. The HD broadcasting launch marks another important achievement by RT, as such a service is not yet offered by many other major international news channels.

RT always does its best to deliver high quality content, including breaking news stories, business news and sports updates, but being a live TV, RT also makes mistakes. So for your pleasure and our embarrassment, we present you a selection of RT’s best 2012 bloopers.

Photo from livejournal.com user m_simonyan