London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

Ofcom opens 15 investigations into RT’s Ukraine war coverage

Ofcom opens 15 investigations into RT’s Ukraine war coverage

Kremlin-backed English-language TV station could close if found in breach of impartiality standards
Kremlin-backed television station RT could lose its licence to broadcast in the UK after media regulator Ofcom launched 15 separate investigations into its news coverage of the war in Ukraine.

The English-language channel, once known as Russia Today and fronted by several British presenters and journalists, has repeatedly echoed President Putin’s narrative of the invasion. It has consistently referred to the invasion as a “special military operation” and focused on how Russia is supposedly protecting breakaway regions from Ukrainian aggression.

British broadcasting rules allows politically biased coverage providing the output still meets the standards of ‘due impartiality’ – meaning viewers are still exposed to alternative viewpoints.

The unprecedented scale of the investigation into RT, which relates to 15 editions of the channel’s hourly news headlines programme broadcast on Sunday, suggests Ofcom has grounds to believe RT has consistently failed to meet this standard in relation to coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said the investigations would be concluded urgently: “When reporting on an armed conflict, we recognise it can be difficult for broadcasters to verify information and events, but it is imperative that they make every effort to do so. They must also explain clearly to audiences where there is uncertainty or where events are disputed.”

The decision follows the EU’s move to block Russian-backed media channels – including RT – over the weekend, although details of how that will be enforced remain unclear. The BBC fears its own operations and broadcasts in Russia could be severely restricted if Ofcom chooses to remove RT’s licence in the UK.

Although Ofcom is operationally independent from the government, its leadership is appointed by ministers and it has come under substantial political pressure from both the Conservatives and Labour to investigate RT.

On Sunday, prime minister Boris Johnson strongly criticised the channel: “The stuff that RT is peddling at the moment is doing a lot of damage to the truth, and I think it’s important that Ofcom should look at it and make up its mind about whether that organisation is infringing the rules of this country”.

He said that while he might like to order it to be banned, “the difference between us and Russia is that the power is not with me, and that’s the right thing.”

Ofcom very rarely removes licences from television broadcasters. When RT was found to have made multiple breaches of the broadcasting code over its coverage of the Salisbury poisoning and the Syrian war, it was fined £200,000 – although it has yet to pay up.

RT’s online operation, which enjoys a substantial reach, would not be affected by any Ofcom ban. Only the television channel – which broadcasts on Freeview but has had historically low ratings – could be forced off air by the media regulator.

On Friday, Ofcom executive Kevin Bakhurst told the Guardian that his regulator needed to respect free speech and would take into the account the potential impact on British outlets of any ban.

He said: “We’d be mad not to think of the wider implications, not just for BBC journalists based in Russia but for Ukraine.”
Comments

Oh ya 4 year ago
Well when is Ofcom going to look into all the impartial standards regarding the so called vaccine for the china flu when they would not let any option on other products like Ivermectin. Ya i know never because they have been bought and paid for

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×