This Is What Russian Propaganda Really Does To People According to NYU Professor

While both Ukraine and the West have sought to directly counter falsified and biased Russian coverage of the Ukraine crisis, Assistant Professor of Politics at New York University- Abu Dhabi Leonid Peisakhin argues that such an approach might be counter-productive. According to Peisakhin's research, heavily biased news coverage tends to entrench already existing political divides rather than convince viewers of a particular viewpoint. For example, Russian media tends to increase the pro-Russian political tendencies of viewers who already have pro-Russian sympathies, while the same news coverage tends to push pro-European viewers farther away from the Russian position.

Such research could have implications for the Ukrainian and Western media approach, which have sought to seek strategies to counter Russian misinformation. Instead, the best approach might be the promotion of objective and fact-based journalism, rather than attempt to counter each claim made by the Russian media. Countering Russian media with partisan news coverage might only push pro-Russian viewers even further away from the government position, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the Russian approach and worsening divides in Ukrainian society.

Hromadske International’s Maxim Eristavi and guest host Sabra Ayres spoke with Peisakhin on May 17, 2015.