DStv discontinues Russia TV

Source: ©Tim Mossholder pexels

This follows the removal or intention to remove the channel by other countries including Australia's FoxTel, that country's biggest pay-TV operator, Canada's two biggest pay-TV services, Rogers Communications and Bell Canada, and America's DirectTV. On Sunday the European Union (EU) ban the RT and Sputnik channels.

RT is also no longer available on Telkom's TelkomONE streaming platform reports news24, adding that Telkom couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

In a statement released on Wednesday MultiChoice said that European sanctions imposed on Russia has led to the global distributor of the channel ceasing to provide broadcast feed to suppliers including MultiChoice.

MultiChoice confirms that as of today, 2 March 2022, Russia Today (Channel 407) shall not be carried on the DStv platform until further notice. Sanctions imposed on Russia by the E.U has led to the global distributor ceasing to provide the broadcast feed to all suppliers. pic.twitter.com/Pa3VFAR7NF

— MultiChoice Group (@MultiChoiceGRP) March 2, 2022

A diversity of views

Reacting to the removal, the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has expressed its concern about the suppressing of a range of news channels reporting on the crisis in Ukraine - from silencing independent news channels within Russia to channels such as RT on the MultiChoice platform.

In a statement the Forum says: "RT is a Russian state-controlled international television network funded by the tax budget of the Russian government; and as such widely perceived as a state propaganda tool. It is nevertheless a source of information from Russia, that viewers could access along with all other channels, to critically assess its credibility and information for themselves."

It adds: "Sanef is not blind to the fact that in Russia, the authorities have imposed censorship on information about the “special operation” now underway. According to Reporters without Borders (RSF), Roskomnadzor, the Russian media regulator, has told the media in that country that they must “only use the information and data they receive from official Russian sources” or else they could be prosecuted for spreading false information."

The Forum adds that while it supports freedom of access to a diversity of views, it does not support disinformation on any channels, and appeals to all to report factually, impartially, and truthfully for the benefit of all their audiences.

In the public interest to know

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has noted various media queries and social media postings in relation to the discontinuation of the RT channel on the DStv platform.

“Our licensing and compliance division has not received any notification by MultiChoice confirming the discontinuation of the channel on its DStv platform,” says Icasa chairperson, Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng.

The chairperson says that it is in the public interest to know the reasons for this discontinuation since the authorisation was approved by the Authority.

“Given the underlying principle of the South African broadcasting system for promoting plurality of views, it is only prudent for Icasa to enquire with DStv on the rationale for the discontinuation of the RT channel,” states Modimoeng. Icasa continues to monitor the developments regarding this matter.

Role limited

Icasa would like to put it on record that the broadcast of RT on the DStv platform is and continues to be a commercial agreement between the subscription TV broadcaster, MultiChoice and RT.

The Authority’s role in the broadcasting of RT has been solely limited to channel authorisation as submitted by the licensee (in this case, MultiChoice) and approved by Icasa prior to the channel being introduced.

This is a regulatory requirement fulfilled by the licensee before introducing any new channel for consumption by the South African public.