DirecTV Is Excluding RT From Its Lineup, Dealing A Serious Blow To The Russian-backed US Channel

A spokesman for the US satellite carrier told CNN on Tuesday that the company had already reconsidered renewing the store’s deal, which was due to expire later this year, and that Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine has accelerated its decision.

“In line with our previous agreement with RT America, we are speeding up the expiration of this year’s contract and will no longer offer their programming, which will take effect immediately,” a DirecTV spokesman said in a statement.

DirecTV is one of only two major US television broadcasters to broadcast RT, so its decision, first announced by Axios, has dealt a severe blow to the country’s network coverage.

PLATE (PLATE)is the other major television company to carry RT in the United States.

A DISH spokesman declined to say on Monday whether the operator would take any action against the channel, but expressed support for the people of Ukraine and said DISH was “closely monitoring the situation”.

DirecTV’s action is the latest in a series of moves by broadcasters and technology giants to cut ties with the channel, reducing the Kremlin’s ability to trade its story at a crucial time when its international position fell.

YouTube, TikTok and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, each announced on Monday and Tuesday that they had blocked RT’s social media accounts in Europe. Roku, the company that sells hardware that allows users to stream content over the Internet, said it would also ban RT in Europe.

Outside the United States, broadcasters in other countries have severed ties with RT.

Two of Canada’s largest television providers, Rogers Communications and Bell Canada, said Monday they had decided to remove the channel from their lineups, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

1 + 1 Media Group, a Ukrainian media conglomerate, said on Monday that it had written a joint letter with other Ukrainian media companies to television and other providers asking them to delete Russian news channels from their services.

“More than 20 local suppliers from Poland, Australia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Canada, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Germany, as well as representatives of international corporations have already responded to the request,” 1 + 1 Media Group reported. in a press release. “On February 26, they began shutting down propaganda television channels on their satellites, cable networks and other platforms and sources.

Ofcom, Britain’s media regulator, said on Monday that it had “opened 15 new investigations into the proper impartiality of news programs on the RT news channel”.

“We have seen a significant increase in the number of RT programs that require investigation under our Broadcasting Code,” a statement from Ofcom said.