UK broadcasting regulator opens more probes into Russia's RT
LONDON: The British broadcasting regulator has announced
another dozen investigations into the "impartiality" of news
programmes aired on Russian state-funded television channel RT.
Ofcom said on Wednesday (Mar 2) that it now has 27 open
investigations into RT and is considering whether the channel should keep its
UK licence.
"We are very concerned by the volume of programmes on
RT that are raising potential issues under the Broadcasting Code," Ofcom
said in a statement.
The regulator first announced its probe on Monday, saying it
had seen "a significant increase" in the number of potential breaches
on RT news programmes after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
When covering topics as important as the Ukraine crisis, all
media with licences "must comply with the special impartiality
requirements in our Code", the body said.
"These rules require broadcasters to take additional
steps to preserve due impartiality - namely by including and giving due weight
to a wide range of significant views."
Russian-controlled television channels have come under fire
as the West and its allies seek to crack down on misinformation about Moscow's
onslaught on Ukraine
RT is no longer allowed to earn money off Google and YouTube
ads, the Alphabet Inc-owned tech giants have announced, following moves by
Facebook, Twitter and Apple to curb access to Russian-state-linked news.
As the crisis escalates, the European Commission is banning
Russia's state-run mouthpieces, while in the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson
has said it should be left to Ofcom to decide the fate of RT's licence rather
than politicians, due to freedom of expression.
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