‘Russia isn’t a country of Putins!’: How RT bridged the credibility gap in Russian public diplomacy during the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Rhys Crilley,Alistair Willis,Vitaly Kazakov,Marie Gillespie

doi:10.1177/13691481211013713

Abstract

In the context of deteriorating relations with ‘Western’ states, Russia’s state-funded international broadcasters are often understood as malign propaganda rather than as agents of soft power. Subsequently, there is a major credibility gap between how Russian state media represents itself to the world and how it is actually perceived by overseas publics. However, based on the study of RT’s coverage of the Russian hosted FIFA 2018 World Cup and the audience reactions this prompted, we find that this credibility gap was partially bridged. By analysing over 700 articles published by RT, alongside social media and focus group research, we find that RT’s World Cup coverage created an unusually positive vision of Russia that appealed to international audiences. Our study demonstrates how state-funded international broadcaster coverage of sports mega-events can generate a soft power effect with audiences, even when the host state – such as Russia – has a poor international reputation.

Highlights

On 21 March 2018, in a Foreign Affairs Select Committee at the British Parliament, Member of Parliament Ian Austin articulated his concerns about the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia, suggesting that ‘Putin is going to use it in the way Hitler used the 1936 Olympics’ (Austin quoted in Wintour, 2018)
Its actions in Ukraine, Syria, and the United Kingdom, where the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia had recently been poisoned. When asked what he thought about the upcoming tournament, the British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, stated that Austin’s comparison was ‘certainly right’ and that ‘Putin glorying in this sporting event’ was ‘an emetic prospect’ (Johnson quoted in Wintour, 2018)
RT promoted a feel-good factor around the sports megaevent (SME) by encouraging international visitors, as well as renowned football experts employed as celebrity diplomats, to co-create and co-share the story of Russia 2018

Summary

Introduction

On 21 March 2018, in a Foreign Affairs Select Committee at the British Parliament, Member of Parliament Ian Austin articulated his concerns about the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia, suggesting that ‘Putin is going to use it in the way Hitler used the 1936 Olympics’ (Austin quoted in Wintour, 2018). Its actions in Ukraine, Syria, and the United Kingdom, where the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia had recently been poisoned When asked what he thought about the upcoming tournament, the British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, stated that Austin’s comparison was ‘certainly right’ and that ‘Putin glorying in this sporting event’ was ‘an emetic prospect’ (Johnson quoted in Wintour, 2018). These comments reflect British elite attitudes towards the Russian state at the time and a disdain at the prospect of Putin wielding influence by exploiting this sports megaevent (SME). The question of the significance of international communication in the context of Russian SMEs should not be dismissed as categorically as it often is (Nye, 2014)

Methods

Conclusion