Britain’s media regulator Ofcom removed RT’s licence to broadcast in the United Kingdom on 18 March 2022, declaring that the Russian state‑funded channel’s coverage of the war in Ukraine was “not fit and proper” and that Kremlin censorship prevented impartial reporting.
Background and Investigations
The decision followed 29 open investigations into RT’s output that began after Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border on 24 February 2022. Ofcom had already fined the broadcaster £200,000 for earlier breaches of impartiality rules, but the regulator said those penalties had failed to change behaviour. Ofcom concluded that ANO TV Novosti, the parent company of RT, “is not fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence”.
The watchdog pointed to the volume and nature of the issues raised across the 29 files, as well as the channel’s reliance on Russian state money while Moscow wages war in Ukraine.
Legal Basis
Ofcom’s ruling went beyond ordinary accuracy complaints. It cited new Russian laws that criminalise any departure from the official narrative on the conflict, effectively prohibiting independent journalism.
Under those statutes RT reporters could face up to 15 years in prison if they describe the assault as an invasion or question Kremlin statements. “Given these constraints it appears impossible for RT to comply with the due impartiality rules of our Broadcasting Code,” Ofcom said. The regulator noted that the “not fit and proper” test is rarely used; the previous comparable case was the 2012 revocation of Press TV’s licence after Iranian editorial control was traced to Tehran.
Reactions from RT and UK Officials
RT’s deputy editor‑in‑chief Anna Belkina accused Ofcom of acting on behalf of Downing Street, claiming the decision showed the regulator was “nothing more than a tool of government, bending to its media‑suppressing will.” A separate RT statement argued that the regulator had “robbed the UK public of access to information” and ignored a “clean record” during the previous four years.
Armed‑forces minister James Heappey welcomed the ruling but stressed that ministers had not issued the order, saying “It was the regulator that took the choice rather than the government.” He added that the distinction matters in Whitehall because direct ministerial bans could be challenged under the Human Rights Act. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries had earlier urged Ofcom to act “swiftly and decisively” after MPs described RT as a “propaganda arm” of the Kremlin.
Labour MP Chris Bryant went further, calling the channel “a sewer of disinformation” during Commons exchanges on 9 March.
Impact in Europe
The UK move came shortly before a Berlin administrative court dismissed RT’s attempt to resume broadcasting in Germany. Judges refused an emergency injunction sought by RT DE after German regulators found the channel lacked a valid domestic licence.
RT had tried to use a Serbian licence to circumvent German rules, a tactic described by authorities in Berlin and Munich as a “shell game”. RT DE went off air on 2 February, and the court decision means it remains unavailable on cable and satellite while full proceedings continue. Together, the UK and German setbacks leave RT with shrinking legal footholds in Europe’s two largest economies; only Hungary and Turkey still carry the channel without restriction.
Conclusion
The revocation ends fifteen years of RT’s presence on British television and removes one of the Kremlin’s most prominent international outlets. Whether the action silences disinformation or merely pushes it further into unregulated social‑media spaces remains an open question.
Background and Investigations
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Paragraph after heading: “The decision followed 29 open investigations into RT’s output that began after Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border on 24 February 2022. Ofcom had already fined the broadcaster £200,000 for earlier breaches of impartiality rules, but the regulator said those penalties had failed to change behaviour.” Count: The1 decision2 followed3 294 open5 investigations6 into7 RT’s8 output9 that10 began11 after12 Russian13 troops14 crossed15 the16 Ukrainian17 border18 on19 24 February 2022.20 Ofcom21 had22 already23 fined24 the25 broadcaster26 £200,00027 for28 earlier29 breaches30 of31 impartiality32 rules,33 but34 the35 regulator36 said37 those38 penalties39 had40 failed41 to42 change43 behaviour44. =>44 words.
Next paragraph: “Ofcom concluded that ANO TV Novosti, the parent company of RT, “is not fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence”. The watchdog pointed to the volume
