CRTC pulls RT and RT France off Canadian airwaves

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has officially removed RT and RT France from the list of foreign programs authorized for distribution in Canada.

The CRTC says distributing the two networks “is not in the public interest.”

“The CRTC is also concerned with programming from a foreign country that seeks to undermine the sovereignty of another country, demean Canadians of a particular ethnic background and undermine democratic institutions within Canada,” the ruling states.

The commission first announced it was opening the topic up for public discussion on March 3rd after it received a request from the Governor in Council to determine the channels’ future in Canada.

“Freedom of speech and a range of perspectives are a necessary part of our democracy. However, it is a privilege and not a right to be broadcast in Canada,” Ian Scott, CRTC chair, said.

“Foreign channels can be removed from the authorized list should their programming not be consistent with the standards to which Canadian services are held, or their continued distribution no longer serves the public interest, as was the case for RT and RT France.”

Interveners had five days to file comments. The CRTC received 373 submissions by the deadline. Telecom companies and Canadian residents represented part of the responses. The CRTC notes 350 0f these responses favoured removing the services, and 16 were for keeping them.

The CRTC says it considered the submissions, reports of violence coming out of Ukraine, and the many sanctions against Russia and steps by others to pull the service.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: CRTC