8/5 - Inside RT's Newsroom

Russia Today is one of Britain’s most controversial TV networks.

Backed by the Kremlin, based in Moscow; its London newsroom portrays Russia more positively than the mainstream media, and broadcasts an alternative take on current events generally.

Olly Mann and Joana Ramiro, May 2018

But RT has been accused of distributing propaganda and ‘fake news’, and has been found in breach of broadcasting rules.

Joana Ramiro worked for RT’s web-team, hoping she could originate meaningful journalism from a left-wing perspective.

But, as she explains to Olly, she instead found herself in a world of clickbait, ‘churnalism’ and ‘editorial mellowing’...

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Moving Mountains and Dirty Bones Vegan Mac Daddy Burger.jpg
A trip to Dirty Bones, to taste the original and vegan MacDaddy

Elsewhere, in this week's Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart explores the trend for flexitarian burgers; considering the US offerings from Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger. At Dirty Bones in Shoreditch, Ollie and Olly wrap their lips around a vegan Moving Mountains B12 burger - and compare it to the restaurant’s original, non-vegan Mac Daddy. Can it compete?

Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from being crowned ETO’s Sexpert of the Year, no less - considers a question from a listener who wants to know whether he should be cleaning his sex toy with the powder provided by the sex shop - or whether plain old baby powder would do the trick.

The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com. They sell a sexually liberating range of prophylactics and lube - and remember, by using our code ‘FOXHOLE’ at Checkout, you can get 10% OFF your whole order!

This week’s Lifehack comes courtesy of digital marketing supremo Leanne Hickey, offering up her top tips on how to improve your experience of dating apps: don’t ask boring questions, never message people after 10pm, and always post a real, unfiltered photo of your face!

The Lifehack is sponsored by Podcast Lounge - the new podcatcher app for Windows 10 devices. Get your free trial at the Windows App Store now.

Finally, our record of the week is Somnambulist, from indigenous Canadian outfit nêhiyawak - and it’s got lots of guitars in it:

If you’d like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, if you have a question of sex for Alix, or you’d like to share your story with Olly, get in touch via our Feedback form. And, if you’re able to support the show - please do. For the cost of just one pint of beer per month you can help us create thirty quality episodes per year. Thanks.

See You Next Tuesday!

Posted on July 25, 2018 and filed under Season Eight.