Ofcom revokes broadcast licence of Kremlin-backed RT

Ofcom has revoked the Kremlin-backed RT’s licence to broadcast in the UK with immediate effect.

The regulator said the decision comes amid 29 ongoing investigations into the impartiality of RT’s news and current affairs coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It had launched a separate investigation to determine whether RT’s licensee, ANO TV Novosti, was “fit and proper to retain its licence to broadcast”, finding it was “impossible” for the broadcaster to do so given the circumstances.

“This investigation has taken account of a number of factors, including RT’s relationship with the Russian Federation. It has recognised that RT is funded by the Russian state, which has recently invaded a neighbouring sovereign country,” Ofcom said in a statement.

“We also note new laws in Russia which effectively criminalise any independent journalism that departs from the Russian state’s own news narrative, in particular in relation to the invasion of Ukraine.

“We consider that given these constraints it appears impossible for RT to comply with the due impartiality rules of our Broadcasting Code in the circumstances.”

RT is currently off air in the UK as a result of sanctions by the EU.

Dame Melanie Dawes, the chief executive of Ofcom, said the decision had not been taken lightly.

“Freedom of expression is something we guard fiercely in this country, and the bar for action on broadcasters is rightly set very high.”

Ofcom said it took seriously the importance of a “broadcaster’s right to freedom of expression and the audience’s right to receive information and ideas without undue interference” but that was weighed with the importance of “maintaining audiences’ trust and public confidence in the UK’s broadcasting regulatory regime”.

“Taking all of this into account, as well as our immediate and repeated compliance concerns, we have concluded that we cannot be satisfied that RT can be a responsible broadcaster in the current circumstances.

“Ofcom is therefore revoking RT’s licence to broadcast with immediate effect.”