On Monday, Reporters Without Borders called on the European satellite operator Eutelsat to stop broadcasting two Russian TV channels, claiming that they represent the “spearhead” of Russian propaganda.
Eutelsat responded to the request of the organization specialized in defending the rights of journalists by saying that this matter is not within its competence, but rather it is up to the broadcasting regulatory bodies.
“Eutelsat cannot legally contribute to the Kremlin’s propaganda by providing broadcasting facilities and profiting from disinformation and censorship,” RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said in a statement. The French authorities should put an end to this situation.”
The statement added that the “NTV +” and “Tricolor” packages constitute a news source for between 25 to 30 percent of the Russian people, noting that these two packages include, in particular, “Pervi Kanal” and “Russia 1” and the “NT” channel. In the special.
The organization pointed out in its statement that “these media outlets constantly broadcast misleading media content that includes glorification of war crimes, incitement to violence or incitement to hatred and legitimizing the aggression against Ukraine and the crimes of the Russian army.”
The French state is the largest shareholder in Eutelsat, as it owns 20% of the company’s capital.
The statement quoted Eutelsat as saying that it adopts “the principle of neutrality towards content and therefore customers.”
Eutelsat official David Bertoloni said, according to what was quoted by the human rights organization in its statement, that “Eutelsat does not position itself as a judge of the quality or legitimacy of the programs. It is the responsibility of the national regulatory authorities to issue injunctions if necessary. And if there are sanctions, we apply them.”
