Russian TV platform passes off Mississippi tourism advert as its personal

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Here’s the latest for Monday June 14th: Biden meets with NATO leaders; New Israeli Prime Minister sworn in; Car meets spectator on Texas racetrack; Fire destroyed at least two homes in California.

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Portable.TV, a Russia-backed media company, posted a video on social media on Monday encouraging people to visit magnolia state.

Looking for your next family vacation? Look at Mississippi and enjoy a world class vacation destination!

Watch now and find out why why https://t.co/m8J1iUi1zXpic.twitter.com/MzxkFOkGJ7

– Portable.TV App: Take TV to the next level (@PortableTVApp) June 14, 2021

If the video showing Mississippi’s food, history, architecture, and music looks like a tourism advertisement, that’s because it is.

Lara Hipp, Chief Marketing Officer of the Mississippi Development Authority, confirmed that the video was in fact a 2015 Visit Mississippi-produced advertisement downloaded from YouTube.

Hipp said the state was unaware that Portable.TV posted and shared the video. The Mississippi Development Authority is also not responsible for the post, said Hipp.

“The state did not spend any tax money on this brokerage,” said Hipp.

The video appeared on the Portable.TV website and social media, with the Visit Mississippi logo removed. The Russian Federation-funded company shared the video as part of an “Adventure and Travel” series that appears to be a collection of tourism advertisements from around the world.

Much of the content on Portable.TV is TV derived from RT, a media site supported by Russia known for propaganda and disinformation. RT and Portable.TV share a parent company, T&R Productions, LLC. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice announced T&R Productions had registered as a foreign agent.

“Americans have the right to know who is acting in the United States to influence the US government or the public on behalf of foreign clients,” said former Assistant Attorney General Dana Boente in 2017.

RT, formerly known as Russia Today, is the Kremlin’s premier international propaganda tool, according to a 2017 report Office of the Director of the National Intelligence Service.

That report found that RT played a role in the disinformation efforts surrounding the 2016 presidential election, as well as in international coverage of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.

Lee O. Sanderlin is an investigative and political reporter who covers the state of Mississippi. Do you have a story tip? You can call him at 601-559-3857, email him to LSanderlin@gannett.com, or message him on Twitter @LeeOSanderlin

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