Ofcom has revoked TV channel RT’s licence to broadcast in the UK with immediate effect.
The regulator said that it found the media company not to be ‘fit and proper’ to hold a UK broadcast licence.
Ofcom is currently undertaking 29 different investigations into the due impartiality of RT’s coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ofcom said that they were not satisfied that the Kremlin-funded station ‘can be a responsible broadcaster in the current circumstances’.
RT has already been off air in the UK for two weeks due to sanctions imposed by the EU.
ADVERTISEMENT
President Vladimir Putin. The Russian state backs TV channel RT, which has had its licence revoked today. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
It has previously been fined £200,000 for due impartiality breaches, but Ofcom now says the volume of issues raised are ‘of great concern’.
Its investigation took into account RT’s relationship with the Russian Federation and new laws in Russia which ‘effectively criminalise any independent journalism’, saying that it ‘appears impossible’ for RT to comply with due impartiality rules.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom Chief Executive, said: “Freedom of expression is something we guard fiercely in this country, and the bar for action on broadcasters is rightly set very high.
“Following an independent regulatory process, we have today found that RT is not fit and proper to hold a licence in the UK.
ADVERTISEMENT
“As a result we have revoked RT’s UK broadcasting licence.”
RT’s deputy editor-in-chief Anna Belkina has since responded to Ofcom, saying it has: “Shown the UK public, and the regulatory community internationally, that despite a well-constructed facade of independence, it is nothing more than a tool of government, bending to its media-suppressing will.
“By ignoring RT’s completely clean record of four consecutive years and stating purely political reasons tied directly to the situation in Ukraine and yet completely unassociated to RT’s operations, structure, management or editorial output, Ofcom has falsely judged RT to not be ‘fit and proper’ and in doing so robbed the UK public of access to information.”
Featured image: Ofcom / Wikimedia Commons
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Daisy Jackson -
18th March 2022 
