For the Russian Federation's Television Network, Breaking the Set went Candid

BALTIMORE, Maryland March 4, 2014 - Many of you know at least something about the Russian Federation, the same Federation run by Strongman Vladimir Putin, the same Federation currently ensconced in Crimea, yes, you know, that Russian Federation. Many of you, but not me, knew that Vlad and company own a television station that broadcasts around the clock.

Most people who know even one thing about this television station - known as the "RT," - know that the shows, especially the news shows, are decidedly pro-Russian. And that, friends, is an understatement. Watch the RT channel for more than an hour and you'll think that ol Vlad Putin is Mister Personality, or something like that.

Then, on Monday night, viewers were "treated" to another, quite candid point of view. A regular show on the RT channel is called "Breaking the Set," and on Monday the host was Abby Martin. Abby Martin is an American. Born in San Diego, Martin is 29. Read her bio on line and it is quite impressive. She has a conscience, does more than a little bit of investigative journalism. A lot of her journalism takes up a cause. She speaks truth to power, even when the power isn't interested. She had a knock down drag out battle with Wikipedia. What is a journalist like this doing at the RT channel? I am not sure. But that is irrelevant to the point here.

Ms. Martin had a moment of candor on Breaking the Set on Monday night. I learned of it when perusing the Hamburg, Germany Morgenpost, a German language newspaper. According to the Morgenpost, Martin is paid as a "presenter" by the RT. Monday night, apparently out of nowhere, Martin belted out, "What Russia has done [in the Crimea] is wrong."

She continued: "A military intervention is never a solution, and I will not sit here and apologize for military aggression."

Later, Ms. Martin explained that reporting on both sides of the Crimean story has been full of disinformation. "The fact that I work here does not mean that I do not have editorial independence," she stated.

One hopes her employers are equally open-minded.