Ofcom confirms probe into ‘audience tweets’ on Alex Salmond’s Russia Today show
2 min read
Ofcom have confirmed that supposed ‘audience tweets’ read out on former First Minister Alex Salmond’s RT show are under investigation.
The broadcasting watchdog today revealed that it had launched an investigation into The Alex Salmond Show in December 2017 after it was claimed that tweets had been wrongly attributed to audience members.
On the November 16th show tweets supposedly from audience members were read out, but it was later found that some of the accounts associated with the posts either did not exist or were linked to members of Mr Salmond’s production staff.
Ofcom said: “We already had one open investigation relating to ‘audience tweets’ in the Alex Salmond Show, which we have provisionally found were not from audience members.
“One of the suspicious tweets appeared to be from the series director of Salmond’s programme producers, Luisa St John.”
The revelations came as the regulator launched seven new impartiality investigations into Russia Today’s news and current affairs programming in the wake of the Salisbury poisonings.
Mr Salmond's show is not included in the latest round of investigations.
Ofcom said: "The investigations form part of an Ofcom update, published today, into the licences held by TV Novosti, the company that broadcasts RT.
"Until recently, TV Novosti’s overall compliance record has not been materially out of line with other broadcasters.
"However, since the events in Salisbury, we have observed a significant increase in the number of programmes on the RT service that warrant investigation as potential breaches of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
"We will announce the outcome of these investigations as soon as possible. In relation to our fit and proper duty, we will consider all relevant new evidence, including the outcome of these investigations and the future conduct of the licensee."
Ben Nimmo, Russian propaganda expert at American think-tank, the Atlantic Council, told The Guardian:
"The mention of the Alex Salmond Show adds to RT’s problems. Ofcom confirmed that they’ve provisionally found that so-called ‘audience tweets’ presented by the show were not sent by audience members. That investigation was launched in December, so it’s not related to Salisbury, but it doesn’t do anything to enhance RT’s reputation."
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw described the former First Minister as a “Russian stooge”.
“With Ofcom stepping up its investigations into RT there is an even stronger consensus that this channel is severely biased towards Russia.
“Mr Salmond’s continuing willingness to be used as a Russian stooge is an embarrassment for himself, his party and his country.
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