As Russia-Ukraine war rages, DirecTV nixes RT America from program lineup
Several other companies have all taken action against RT in recent days
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DirecTV announced Tuesday it would be removing RT America, a Kremlin-backed media outlet, from its lineup as Russia wages war on Ukraine.
"In line with our previous agreement with RT America, we are accelerating this year's contract expiration timeline and will no longer offer their programming effective immediately," DirecTV said, according to Axios.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DirecTV had already been reviewing its relationship with RT America as the contract would be expiring this year, a spokesperson told Axios. They moved up the decision to terminate their partnership as Russia continues to invade Ukraine.
DirecTV rival DISH told Fox News Digital that their "thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, and particularly with our team members in the country. We are closely monitoring the situation." DISH has yet to remove the propaganda network from its lineup.
FILE - Three Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., in this Feb. 23, 2011 file photo. Dish Network is offering to buy Sprint Nextel Corp. in a cash-and-stock deal it values at $25.5 billion, saying its bid is superior to that of Japanese phone company SoftBank. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) (A2011)
Several other companies, such as Google, TikTok, YouTube and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, have all taken action against RT in recent days by blocking the Russian-backed media coverage in Europe. Roku and Microsoft were restricting RT access as well, according to Axios.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This Nov. 14, 2014, photo shows a board with the Facebook logo inside the new Facebook data centers in Altoona, Iowa. (AP Photo/The Des Moines Register, Charlie Litchfield)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Sunday that RT and Sputnik, another Russian outlet, were the Kremlin's "media machine" and that the European Union was "developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation."
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Rogers Communications and Bell Canada also removed RT from their programming. Ukrainian media conglomerate 1+1 Media Group reached out to several news outlets across Europe asking them to nix Russian news channels. The group said local stations across several countries had responded and got rid of RT and other Russian media stations.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Matt Schlapp doesn’t think Russian President Vladimir Putin would have invaded Ukraine if Trump was in office. (Yuri Kochetkov/Pool)
"As of 26 February they have started the turning off of the propagandistic TV channels on their satellites, cable networks and across other platforms and sources," the group said, according to CNN.
The National Association of Broadcasters asked U.S. broadcasters to stop airing "state-sponsored programming with ties to the Russian government," according to Axios.