, Labour’s Shadow Culture Secretary, has written to the Chief
Executive of Ofcom Melanie Dawesurging the regulator to review RT's
licence in light of the damning revelations in the Intelligence and
Security Committee report.
The long-awaited report outlined the role played by RT and
Sputnik in spreading disinformation and attempts at broader
political influence overseas.
It follows a ruling earlier this year in the High Court which
upheld Ofcom's fine of the broadcaster of £200,000.
In his judgment handed down in March, Lord Justice Dingemans said
that biased reporting of the Novichok attack in Salisbury at the
hands of the Russian state caused “actual and potential harm".
Ms Stevens has also asked Dame Melanie for a meeting to discuss
her concerns.
She said:
"The long-awaited Russia report sets out in black and white
issues that Ofcom has already identified when it fined £200,000
for its biased reporting of the novichok attack in Salisbury at
the hands of the Russian state.
"This worrying report spells out the role that RT plays in the
spread of disinformation and attempts at broader political
influence overseas, by Russia.
"I am writing to request that Ofcom urgently reviews RT’s licence
to broadcast within the UK in the light of this report."
Ends
FULL TEXT OF LETTER
Dear Dame ,
I am writing to you in light of the troubling revelations in the
Russia report about the role of RT and Sputnik in spreading
Kremlin-backed disinformation in the UK.
The report from the Intelligence and Security Committee sets out
in black and white issues that Ofcom has already identified
through the £200,000 fine administered in 2018. This was in
response to the broadcaster’s failure to preserve due
impartiality in seven news and current affairs programmes between
17 March and 26 April 2018 covering the Novichok attack in
Salisbury at the hands of the Russian state in 2018.
When RT lost its High Court challenge to Ofcom’s fine, Lord
Justice Dingemans said in his ruling that biased reporting of the
Novichok attack in Salisbury at the hands of the Russian state
caused “actual and potential harm".
That damning judgment has now been reinforced by the long-delayed
ISC report that exposes the role RT plays in the much wider issue
with of Russian influence.
I am writing to request that Ofcom urgently reviews RT’s licence
in light of this report and to request a meeting with you as soon
as possible to discuss my concerns about the broadcaster.
Yours sincerely,
Jo Stevens
