Alyona strikes back

There it comes - as anticipated. Russia Today responds to Al Jazeera's "attack", while Al Jazeera - not too happy about Asssange's change of heart - snaps back with a not-so-friendly report on that latter development. [And please note, this is noteworthy because AJE had quite a cozy relationship with Assange, at least in the past.]

Here's Alyona Minkovski with her "response", just a couple of days after the Listening Post episode aired:

For the lack of substance to respond with, I guess turning to ad hominem arguments was the easy way out. Alyona obviously likes the attention, and - in line with RT's unofficial mandate - enjoys making "hyperbolic statements" and overextending her grand personality. I just wish it did some good to Russian public diplomacy. But, as it is now clear, she couldn't care less about that part of RT's objective.

And, just if you're curious, here is a quote from Al Jazeera's coverage of RT's Assange deal.

Media analyst Konstantin von Eggert said he expected to see Assange interview Russian allies and anti-establishment guests such as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and left-leaning US academic Noam Chomsky.

"Julian Assange is famous for his anti-American and anti-Western views, that is exactly why Russia Today is hiring him as a journalist," said Von Eggert, a commentator for Kommersant FM radio.

"So this partnership is logical... It has nothing to do with freedom of speech or real journalism." 

And, this might be just the beginning...