EU wants to ban Russian state media RT and Sputnik
Created: 02/28/2022Updated: 02/28/2022 00:28
In the fight against Russian propaganda, the EU wants to ban the Russian state media RT and Sputnik.
© Pavel Golovkin/AP/dpa
For years, Russian media such as RT have been spreading propaganda and disinformation in Germany and other countries.
The EU Commission no longer wants to put up with this.
Brussels, London - In the fight against Russian propaganda, the EU wants to ban the Russian state media RT and Sputnik.
They would no longer be able to spread lies to justify Russian President Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine and sow division in the EU, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels on Sunday.
The German politician said they are working on tools to ban "toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe".
She spoke of a one-off step.
The ban should also affect the subsidiaries of RT and Sputnik.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said they have been fighting disinformation since 2015.
“Today we are taking a decisive step to turn off the Russian information manipulation.” However, neither von der Leyen nor Borrell gave any details about the time frame or the action taken against both media.
When asked, Borrell said only that there were technical ways to ban the broadcast of RT and Sputnik in the EU.
They are the “champions of information manipulation”.
After a video conference of EU foreign ministers, the Spaniard said: "We must counter the narrative controlled by the Russian state, because the disinformation is becoming more and more massive and is now developing into full-fledged war propaganda." Russian President Vladimir Putin not only wants space, but also capture people's minds.
As a propaganda tool in criticism
RT is repeatedly criticized in the West as a propaganda tool of the Kremlin.
The main accusation is that the broadcaster is spreading conspiracy stories and disinformation on behalf of the Russian state.
RT denies that.
The station has several foreign-language programs in its portfolio.
The Austrian branch of Deutsche Telekom has already removed RT from the program.
"The distribution of the channel RT "Russia Today" will be suspended on all Magenta TV platforms until further notice," Magenta Telekom announced on Sunday in Vienna.
Media Minister Susanne Raab welcomed the decision.
"RT spreads Russian war propaganda in Europe and also in Austria," said the conservative ÖVP politician.
Until Sunday, RT's English-language news channel was part of the offer of Magenta, one of the largest providers of cable TV in Austria.
Although Magenta is a neutral platform, the decision was ultimately made to take the step, company circles told the German Press Agency.
There had also been talks with the government about this, but no political pressure had been exerted.
The German media regulators recently banned RT from broadcasting the German-language TV program.
They cited the lack of a broadcasting license for Germany as the reason.
RT DE launched its German-language program in mid-December via several distribution channels.
In Germany, you need a broadcasting license for nationwide TV programs.
Great Britain not on board
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, however, rejects such a ban.
"We follow the principle in this country that we do not give politicians the right to ban this or that media organization," said the conservative politician in a television interview.
Johnson made no secret of what he thinks of RT.
"I have to say, I think the stuff that RT is spreading at the moment does a lot of damage to the truth (...)", said the prime minister.
It is therefore important that the media regulator Ofcom checks whether the broadcaster meets the standards.
The government ordered an Ofcom review of RT just last week.
An Ofcom spokesman confirmed, according to the PA news agency, that the channel would have its license revoked if the audit found that standards for truthful and balanced reporting were not being met.
dpa