Russian News giant RT to open Dublin hub
The Russian news organisation RT (Russia Today) will open a digital hub in Dublin.
The hub, a first for RT, which is owned by the Russian state, will create news content for its website.
Nine journalists have been hired to work for RT’s digital hub It will be led by Ivor Crotty, head of social at RT. Mr Crotty said he expected the number of journalists to double in the next 18 months.
He said that Irish journalists were able to address both British and US markets effortlessly, while English-speaking journalists from other countries do not have the same skillset.
“RT.com is in Dublin for the talent, not for the tax, I’m very happy to say,” he said.
“We’re hoping to create a sustainable and best practice beacon in Dublin for people who want to work in international journalism.”
In September, RT’s total monthly online audience exceeded 32 million unique users, according to comScore. RT’s TV network is available in six different languages in over 100 countries.
It has nearly three billion YouTube views.
Dublin was chosen as the location for RT’s first digital hub because of its proximity to companies like Google, Facebook and other digital content companies like Joe.ie and Storyful, he said.
London was also considered as a location for the hub, but Crotty said that Dublin was easier to get around and less expensive.
RT’s Dublin office will be based in the Digital Hub, which has been home to over 160 technology and digital content businesses since its launch in 2003.
Crotty, who is Irish but has lived in Russia for ten years, said he chose to locate in the Digital Hub because he wanted it to be surrounded by best practice and excellence in technology.
