The feed supplying the standard definition version of RT, formerly Russia Today, on Freeview was cut off mid-afternoon. An hour later RT HD’s feed was lost.
EU sanctions against RT and radio station Sputnik came into force today, resulting in satellite operators and uplink providers based in the EU pulling feeds of the channel. These feeds are then distributed to terrestrial, cable and IPTV providers across the continent.
RT SD fell off Freeview channel 234 at the same time as satellite operators pulled the last feeds of the UK version of the channel, indicating the SD channel was being fed from the same source.
Then, at 1650 GMT, RT HD fell off-air, removing the last remaining outlet of RT in the UK.
Sky and Freesat lost the feed earlier in the day. RT wasn’t available on Virgin.
The on-screen message telling viewers ‘this service is currently unavailable’, is an automated message that kicks in when a feed to the channel is lost. It’s been seen before on Freeview, for example, when the now defunct Motors TV channel had technical difficulties. It’s not to be confused with receiver generated messages that appear when there is a weak or no signal.
The last hours of RT…?
As a result of the on-going invasion, RT had already suspended its UK-specific opt-outs. The channel is currently simulcasting the main international edition of RT 24 hours a day. Overnight, the channel relays RT America.
During Wednesday afternoon, the channel reduced its normal schedule of programmes, showing a loop of news at the top of the hour, and a documentary about events in Ukraine in 2014 at half-past for two consecutive hours.
On a technicality, RT could return to Freeview before Ofcom makes any decision on its licence. To do this, RT would need to provide a feed coming from a non-EU controlled source. Such an option doesn’t exist on satellite: All of Sky’s and Freesat’s channels are carried on satellites controlled by Luxembourg-owned SES.