An anchor with American roots has quit live television. Liz Wahl stated that she cannot take part in 'whitewashing' Putin's actions.
Wahl, who works in Washington D.C., televised her resignation while reading the news. During the announcement, she made reference to Abby Martin, a co-worker, who made headlines when he denounced Russian intervention in Ukraine.
As the anchor closed show, she talked about moral and ethical challenges which she faces when working for Russia Today. She disclosed that her family fled to America in fear of Soviet forces in 1956 Hungarian revolution. She also stated that she is a daughter of an American military veteran and the partner of a doctor who works with U.S military.
In her video, which she later tweeted, Liz Wahl stated that she felt lucky to have grown up in the United States. Therefore, she added, she cannot be part of the Russian government network's aim to whitewash Putin's actions.
In her interview with CNN, Wahl stated that her work was occasionally distorted. She stated that the Russia controlled Today's mission was just about criticizing America. She added that RT tries to make Putin look like a good guy while painting United States as bad country.
Before she quit, Wahl had expressed sympathy for Martin, who was posted in Crimea for condemning Russia on the air.
Russian Today did not respond to Wahl,s accusation. However, in a statement to Buzzfeed, RT stated that Liz Wahl was acting like an "overnight sensation." Journalists who disagree with the editor should solve their grievances internally. If such disagreements cannot be solved, then the journalist should quit. Consequently, RT concluded, Wahl was just making a personal and self-promotional decision.
Both Martin and Wahl's remarks show exactly how RT is working.
However, a Russian Foreign website criticized their condemnation, stating that the journalists were just exercising their right to make opinions.
