The National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine has warned Inter TV channel that its licenses for on-air, satellite and analogue broadcasting could be suspended.
The decision was made at a sitting of the council on Jan. 15.
In addition, the regulator decided to carry out spot checks on Inter, 1+1, ICTV, Ukraine and Tonis TV channels, whose New Year’s Eve programming violated regulations, according to the council’s monitors.
The regulator also condemned TV and radio broadcasting companies that had showed persons openly supporting the annexation of Crimea and terrorists in eastern Ukraine. The council recommended that in future TV channels refrain from showing such people. In addition, broadcasting of Russian media must be conducted according to the law.
The National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council also decided to create a working group to prepare amendments to current laws in order to create an efficient plan to counteract the distribution of information threatening Ukraine’s integrity and national security.
The council decided to address the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine, and ask them to look into the possible funding of national channels and broadcasting by wanted individuals, or persons facilitating the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, who stir up national hatred.
Throughout New Year’s Eve and the early hours of the new year, Inter TV channel broadcast programs involving Russian pop singers, including those who have been accused of holding anti-Ukrainian views. In his statement, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said that Inter should be stripped of its broadcasting license for “mocking the entire nation”.
Ukraine’s Inter television channel stated that its New Year’s Eve line-up had met all national legal requirements.
