RT Slams UK's Ofcom Over Claims of Objectivity Breach After Regulator Revokes Channel's License

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - UK media regulator Ofcom drew the ire of RT on Monday after it found the TV channel in breach of objectivity rules, exactly four months after it revoked the Russian broadcaster's license.

RT lambasted Ofcom after the regulator accused it of violating objectivity rules and promised to sanction the broadcaster.

"The logic of these decisions mirrors the one guiding their delivery many months after Ofcom's revocation of RT's license: it is a trial after a conviction and RT is guilty of being Russian and daring to voice a point of view and show facts unacceptable to the British political and media establishments."

Riverside House, Bankside, London. Home of OFCOM offices

CC BY 2.0 / Jim Linwood / Riverside House, Bankside - London

Ofcom claimed that RT "failed to ensure due impartiality in its news coverage of a matter of major political controversy," referring to the conflict in Ukraine. It said RT News broke the rules 29 times between February 27 and March 2.

"Ofcom considers that these breaches were serious and repeated, and we are minded to consider them for the imposition of a statutory sanction," the government-affiliated regulator said.

RT press office lambasted Ofcom for putting the cart before the horse by sanctioning RT first and finding a reason later.

"It is a trial after a conviction and RT is guilty of being Russian and daring to voice a point of view and show facts unacceptable to the British political and media establishments," the press office said.

The Russian broadcaster took a swipe at Ofcom for its unfair retrogressive action, saying it has been curious about what statutory sanction Ofcom would come up with after taking the channel off air on March 18.

"We are very curious about how creative Ofcom is going to try to get with these potential sanctions: make RT broadcast their decision on a channel that no longer broadcasts in the UK or Europe? Fine a sanctioned company from which they are forbidden to receive money according to UK law under which they operate? Maybe, even revoke our broadcast license? Let’s get out the popcorn," RT Press Office said.

The Russian special military operation in Ukraine began on February 24. Ofcom said it launched a probe into RT's coverage of the conflict based on "complaints from viewers" and its own monitoring.