Russia Today broke rules 29 times over war

Banned Kremlin-backed news channel breached broadcasting impartiality code in its Ukraine reports

RUSSIA TODAY broke broadcasting rules nearly 30 times before the station was pulled from British TV screens over its coverage of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ofcom found that RT breached impartiality rules in each of the 29 investigations it launched into the Kremlin-backed news channel over its coverage of the war. They covered the period before RT was permanently banned from British airwaves in midmarch in response to Mr Putin outlawing independent journalism. Moscow introduced new laws punishing journalists with 15-year prison sentences for straying from the Kremlin party line.

Ofcom is now considering further punishment after finding RT failed “to preserve due impartiality” over the conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas region and making “serious and repeated” breaches of the broadcasting code.

Given that RT is no longer broadcast in the UK, the regulator could choose to fine the network or curb its operations in the future if it decides to re-apply for a UK broadcasting licence. RT was forced to air Ofcom’s rulings and was fined £200,000 in 2019 for breaching impartiality rules over its reporting of the Salisbury poisonings and the war in Syria.

Ofcom investigated the impartiality of 15 RT news bulletins on Feb 27, a further 12 on Mar 1, one on Mar 2, as well as the documentary Donbass Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. In each case, RT broke Ofcom’s impartiality rules.

The watchdog’s decision to pull RT from TV on Mar 18 was largely symbolic given that the European Union had already sanctioned RT, prompting its removal from Freeview, Britain’s biggest free-to-air broadcaster, and Sky.

Despite only attracting an average audience of just 2,000 viewers across Freeview and Sky, opinion was split on how far British authorities should go to tackle misinformation on the channel. Some campaigners feared an outright ban before the investigations concluded would jeopardise free speech, however there were also concerns that Mr Putin could use the network to continue to spread disinformation if left intact.

The Kremlin has retaliated against the banning of RT by expelling Western media. In June, Russia banned 29 British journalists from media organisations including The Daily Telegraph, the BBC, The Guardian and The Times.

Most Western broadcasters and social media companies are either restricted or withdrawing from Russia. The BBC World Service has been using shortwave radio to beam programmes such as Newshour, World Business Report and Sports World into parts of Russia and Ukraine.

The outcome of Ofcom’s investigations come after the regulator found earlier this year that while RT’S licensee, ANO Tv-novosti, did not have any shareholders, it received payments from the Russian Federation’s state budget that partly cover the broadcaster’s operating costs.

RT wound down its operations in Millbank Tower, Westminster, after the Ofcom ban, but continues to broadcast from Russia to other countries.

An RT spokesman said: “It is a trial after a conviction and RT is guilty of being Russian and daring to voice a point of view and show facts unacceptable to the British political and media establishments.”

On the prospect of further punishment from Ofcom, RT said: “Make RT broadcast their decision on a channel that no longer broadcasts in the UK or Europe?

“Fine a sanctioned company from which they are forbidden to receive money according to UK law under which they operate?

“Maybe, even revoke our broadcast licence? Let’s get out the popcorn.”