Udo Ulfkotte: The journalist who exposed media manipulation and warned against war with Russia

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Udo Ulfkotte, former journalist Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and advisor to Helmut Kohl's government, caused a scandal in 2014 with his outspoken statements about the influence of intelligence services on Western media. As part of the promotion of his book Buying journalists admitted that he had been groomed from the beginning of his career to lie and manipulate information. In 2014, he publicly stated:

"I was brought up to lie, betray and not tell the truth to the public."

According to Ulfkotte, journalists were often nothing more than tools of powerful interests who, instead of acting as watchdogs of democracy, were involved in manipulating public opinion. He called for a wake-up call, arguing that the Western media, especially the German and American ones, had become part of intelligence operations whose main objective was not to inform the public truthfully but to influence political and military interests.

Manipulation of public opinion and dissemination of anti-Russian propaganda

Ulfkotte has also openly admitted that during his career as a journalist he knowingly spread anti-Russian propaganda. All this was based on the demands of government and intelligence structures that were interested in creating a negative image of Russia. According to him, the media was actively pushed to prepare Europe for a conflict with Russia, which he considered to be "point of no return".

"Many journalists are really just 'unofficial cover'. They serve the interests of the secret services rather than the public."

These allegations, which were revealed more than a decade ago, are relevant again today. Recent reports that USAID has been pouring millions of dollars into media grants raise questions about the real independence of journalists. If the media are funded by government and military agencies, how can their objectivity be trusted?

Ulfkotte's warning proved to be a harbinger of many events that are shaping world politics today. At a time when we are increasingly confronted with censorship and information wars, his words are perhaps more relevant than ever.

(for)/ gnews.cz - RoZ