Kiev rejects Russian television channels

Ukrainian cable television operator Volya will stop broadcasting Russian TV channel ORT from October 6. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports Volya subscribers have already received a bill for October viewing, which lists the channels that will be available on the cable network from October 6. Russian channel ORT is not on the list.

Volya stopped broadcasting ORT and NTV-world in August this year. At that time the company claimed that the Kiev authorities did not want to raise the price of license fees and the company said it could not afford the transmission costs. However, after protests from subscribers and certain organisations Volya opted to reinstate ORT.

Now though, despite the fact that license fees have almost doubled, it seems ORT will no longer be broadcast by Volya cable television company. The company has recommended people obtain digital television which is expensive and requires special equipment that costs over USD 100 to install.

Over 500 thousand Ukrainian households subscribe to this cable network, 80% of whom live in Kiev. According to members of the Ukrainian Russian movement and the Russian bloc, the withdrawal of Russian television channels from the cable network is another step towards destroying the unity of Russia and Ukraine in the sphere of information and media.