In matters of war, RT is as reliable as NYTimes. Both are reliably biased, RT to Russia and NYT to American interests. For me at least it is useful to see what each country's narrative is.
Have you ever seen an RT article deeply critical of Putin’s regime?
American media has vigorous criticism within a certain range (roughly the Democrat-Republican spectrum), but it is supportive of common elite interests. For example you will find the NYT rarely criticized on moral grounds the wars that the US waged. Speaking of Herman and Chomsky, Manufacturing Consent is a good analysis of this phenomenon (propaganda in democratic societies), with supporting evidence.