DStv drops RT news channel
Russian state-controlled news channel RT is no longer available on DStv and TelkomONE.
“As of today, 2 March 2021, Russia Today (Channel 407) shall not be carried on the DStv platform until further notice,” MultiChoice said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union have led to the global distributor of the channel ceasing to provide the broadcast feed to all suppliers, including MultiChoice.”
RT is a Russian state-controlled international television network funded by the tax budget of the Russian government.
It operates pay television or free-to-air channels directed to audiences outside of Russia and provides Internet content in English, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, and Russian.
The DStv RT blackout follows the European Union’s (EU’s) ban on RT, which became effective today.
The EU’s ban involves wide-ranging sanctions on the distribution of RT and its subsidiaries, including the broadcast, online channels, and the RT app.
It announced the ban on Sunday, and countries signed off on it today after a formal proposal.
Earlier today, social media networks acted against Russian state media, including RT and Sputnik, in anticipation of the ban.
YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok restricted state-controlled Russian media channels, aiming to curtail propaganda during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Twitter also announced earlier this week that it would begin labelling all links from state-backed Russian outlets shared on its platform.
The label identifies the links as “Russia state-affiliated media”.
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