Ukraine bans independent Russian channel TV Rain

Ukraine’s National Council for Television and Radio has banned independent Russian television channel TV Rain from broadcasting in Ukraine.

According to a representative of the Ukrainian political party Volia, Oksana Veselova, the decision was taken at a meeting of the Council on 12 January, with an official document set to be published on 16 January. From that date, network providers will have one month to fully block the channel.

Ms Veselova told TV Rain that the channel was breaking the Ukrainian law that prohibits foreign channels from broadcasting commercials, with the exception of those channels that fall under the jurisdiction of the member states of the European Union or of states that have ratified the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. Russia does not fall into either of these categories.

Russian news agency Interfax, however, reported a different reason for the ban. Citing Council member Sergei Kostinsky, Interfax reported that TV Rain broke Ukrainian law by broadcasting information that infringes upon the territorial integrity of Ukraine in showing Crimea as part of Russia.

TV Rain’s general director Natalia Sindeeva lamented the decision, and argues that the channel broadcasts in Ukraine through an IP connection without direct advertising, noting that the channel had not received any complaints until now. With regard to Crimea, she added that the station was simply adhering to Russian law.

Around 90 television providers offer TV Rain in Ukraine, with the channel reaching approximately 500,000 households. According to the channel, more than 60 Russian channels have already been banned in Ukraine, many for infringing on national security and violating advertising regulations.

Source: TV Rain