Ofcom Revokes RT’s UK Licence
On 18 March 2022 Britain’s media regulator Ofcom announced that it had stripped the Russian state‑funded channel RT of its United Kingdom broadcasting licence. The regulator said the channel’s coverage of the war in Ukraine was “not fit and proper” and that Kremlin censorship made impartial reporting impossible.
Background to the Decision
The move follows 29 open investigations into RT’s output that were launched after Russian troops crossed the border on 24 February 2022, just three weeks before the ruling. Ofcom noted that the decision comes on top of an existing £200,000 fine imposed for earlier breaches of impartiality rules.
Regulator’s Findings
Ofcom concluded that ANO TV Novosti, the parent entity of RT, “is not fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence”. The watchdog cited both the scale of the new breaches and the channel’s reliance on Russian state money at a time when Moscow is waging war in Ukraine. A statement released on Friday pointed to “the volume and nature of the issues raised” across the 29 separate files opened since the invasion began.
Effect of Prior Penalties
The regulator added that earlier fines had clearly failed to change behaviour. RT had already been forced off British airwaves earlier in the month after the EU imposed sanctions that severed its satellite feed, but the licence revocation formally bars any future return even if those restrictions are lifted.
Legal Constraints Cited
Ofcom’s ruling went beyond normal accuracy complaints. The regulator said new Russian laws criminalising any departure from the official narrative on Ukraine “effectively prohibit any independent journalism”. The wording leaves RT reporters facing up to 15 years in prison if they describe the assault as an invasion or question Kremlin communiqués. “Given these constraints it appears impossible for RT to comply with the due impartiality rules of our Broadcasting Code,” Ofcom said.
Historical Context
This clause is rarely invoked; the last comparable case was the 2012 revocation of Press TV’s licence after the Iranian outlet’s editorial control was traced to Tehran.
Reactions from RT and Officials
RT’s deputy editor‑in‑chief Anna Belkina accused Ofcom of doing Downing Street’s bidding, saying the decision showed the regulator was “nothing more than a tool of government, bending to its media‑suppressing will”. A separate RT statement claimed the regulator had “robbed the UK public of access to information” and ignored a “clean record” during four previous years.
Government Statements
Armed‑forces minister James Heappey welcomed the ruling on Saturday but stressed ministers did not give the order, noting that “it was the regulator that took the choice rather than the government”. He added that the distinction matters in Whitehall because direct ministerial bans risk court challenges under the Human Rights Act.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries had earlier urged Ofcom to act “swiftly and decisively” after MPs accused RT of acting as a “propaganda arm” of the Kremlin
