South African premium network Multichoice has found itself on the receiving end of widespread backlash following its decision to stop airing Russia Today amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Why did Multichoice remove Russia Today?
In a statement released on Tuesday, Multichoice Group confirmed “Russia Today (Channel 407) shall not be carried on the DStv platform until further notice.”
“Sanctions imposed on Russia by the E.U has led to the global distributor ceasing to provide the broadcast feed to all suppliers,” the statement read.
While Multichoice shrugged off the decision as a mere consequence of due process, spearheaded by forces applying pressure on President Vladimir Putin with never-before-witnessed sanctions, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Ices) has initiated an inquest to determine the network’s “rationale for the discontinuation of the RT channel.”
Icasa is the regulator that authorises the broadcasting of international channels to South African audiences and, bizarrely, the decision to remove Russia Today was not communicated by the licensee, Multichoice, before it was announced in Tuesday’s polarising statement.
“Our Licensing and Compliance Division has not received any notification by Multichoice confirming the discontinuation of the channel on its DSTV platform,” Ices chairperson Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng said.
The EFF and other political pundits condemned the decision, blasting Multichoice for censoring alternative opinion in a democracy that champions equality in expression.
“It is a move that undermines both press freedom and the rights of consumers who pay for the DSTV service,” the Julius Malema-led organisation noted in a fiery statement.
Here are more reactions from social media:
We cannot be fed propaganda, we want Russia Today back
— Prince Ncube (@PrinceN60984344) March 2, 2022
Yesterday i was soo astonished in the hearing of Multichoice's decision to remove #RussiaToday from it's packages. In this present age we are still dancing to the White Monopoly Regime #IStandWithPutin #IStandWithPutin #istandwithrussia
— Prof KelvinMujuru (@tongaimujuru) March 3, 2022
@MultiChoice what is happening? We demand an answer because we've paid for @RT_com channel.😳 pic.twitter.com/tAi5W3Zdb3
— Somagwaza🇷🇺🇿🇼🇬🇭🇱🇸🇳🇬🇸🇿🇰🇪🇨🇩🇦🇴 (@Somagwaza3) March 2, 2022