‘Switch off the TV’: Ex-Russian state TV journalist's plea to Russia - BBC Newsnight

Zhanna Agalakova quit her job as a journalist for Channel One - a Russian state-controlled TV channel - over the invasion of Ukraine in March.

In an interview with BBC Newsnight, she urged people in Russia to switch off their TVs if they wanted the truth about the war in Ukraine.

"It's a brainwashing machine," she says.

She talks to David Grossman about censorship at the state-controlled broadcaster and whether she should have resigned from her job sooner.

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Newsnight is the BBC's flagship news and current affairs TV programme - with analysis, debate, exclusives, and robust interviews.

[HistoryonYouTube]

I was on Russia Today several times. As soon as they told me what to say, I said the opposite and they never asked me again.

[public.public]

It is painful to face up to having been conned.

[nn-lfqf]

20 лет промывала нам мозги с этого телевизора, получая не самые плохие деньги, а теперь вдруг:"выключите телевизор! откройте сердце!"
Не стыдно вообще?

[skipdavis]

she's right: turn off the tv. i did that years ago. i dunno if my tv even works anymore. everything that comes out of there is someone else's opinion. at least on the internet i know the biases. mostly.

[michaelhurley]

Switch off the TV news is also good advice for those living in the US like me!

[oiybmmh]

We should never forget our original
aspiration or our roots.
If we lose our ability to become emotional
or feel touched, we also lose our ability
to be grateful.

[francescomonini]

Cant wait for the second part of the interview where he asks the difficult questions...

[nataliek.]

Where can i find complete video with her full interview?

[norbertblackrain]

Totalitarian systems are like quick sand ... it is very hard to get out of one if you are inside.

[margaretlamb]

Thank you for telling them what is actually happening. Keep safe.🙏

[anzelmasmatutis]

She plead in English so no Russian would hear "the plea".... Question: Is she for victory of Ukraine or Russia?

[cloudwalker]

Doing the right thing is never easy or else everybody would be doing it. But she is a hero God Bless her!!!!

[olegbaturin]

how they do it????🤣🤣 you worked during 20 years for this regim!! And now you want simple a quiet retirement!

[vitalyziggy]

Always loved Zhanna, ever since she has first appeared on TV back in the 90s. Was wondering why she has (been) moved to Paris. Well, now we know. Good on her for speaking out.

[GanjawarsLostPro]

As a Russian myself, I have two weird thoughts about her. She was lying, deceiving and constructing this war for long, long years. She quit but did it rather quietly - her press-conference was in French and was unheard in Russia even in the fewest remains of liberal press. It was a picture for the West, she saved herself - but did not repent to the Russian society. It looked really, really bad. The good thing is, she quit. No matter how silent she did it - she quit propaganda. It's a blow to Putin's regime, and it's a positive sign. Any blow to Putin's regime moves us to peace a bit closer.

[xvxmuqv]

"They brainwashed their population" - просто насколько бессовестной нужно быть, чтобы не признавать свою ответственность!"It's a brainwashing machine" - говорит Жанна Агалакова в 2022 году. А не был ли Первый канал ещё в 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 годах пропагандистской машиной? Почему Жанна не запишет на русском языке обращение к российской аудитории - к людям, которым она тоже промывала мозги? Нет надобности отмывать репутацию перед российской публикой, так попросите хотя бы прощение перед миллионами людей, которым вы лгали, Жанна! Аудитория Первого канала в большинстве своем не говорит на французском или английском языках, а говорить с ней тоже надо! Запишите обращение/интервью на языке наших людей! Будьте добры сделать хотя бы небольшой вклад в контрпропаганду на том языке, за ложь на котором вы получали государственные деньги!

[Baraz_Red]

Even in North-America, a lot of people have deserted classic television. Hope more Russians do so also. There remains a challenge in terms of learning to be self-critical enough to not simply see on the Internet what fits your narrative and to decrypt fact from propaganda (I include not joining conspiracy silliness or insanity).

[mbshaw]

You have to respect her for what she did but the compensation and reparations of this war can only ever be born by the Russian people. As difficult as it might be to speak freely in Russia, it is the Russian people who allowed this government to silence their free press, it is the Russian people who should be revolting against their government. Being afraid of your own government is not a good enough excuse and certainly not enough of an excuse to appease the people of Ukraine. The vanity of one man is killing tens of thousands of people and causing so much misery, it's time it stopped.

[Livinlivin]

Honestly can’t believe RTV is still taken off of YouTube! I almost completely forgot about it !

[Ira__L]

For such an occasion she seems too joyful and self-assured. Really weird vibes.