The Dutch regulator has issued a broadcasting permit to Russian TV

The Media Authority of the Netherlands has issued a five-year broadcasting license to a Russian private television station Dozhd or ‘TV Rain’. Earlier, Latvia had revoked the channel’s license.

According to the Dutch Media Authority’s website, the channel will provide a commercial TV broadcast service as a commercial media organization under the permit granted on December 22. It is not clear when the statement was released on their website, but according to Meduza, a Latvian website, the first reports about it in Dutch media appeared on Monday, January 9.

According to Latvian state broadcaster LSM, the license granted to TVRen is expected to mean that it will be allowed to broadcast its programs via cable networks in all EU countries, including Latvia. Is.

Russian private television Dozhd, or TV Rain, which is considered liberal, began broadcasting from Latvia and other countries in July last year after the TV channel’s studios in Moscow were closed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. .

Latvia issued it a broadcasting license in June but revoked the license in December, deeming the company a national threat. On December 8, this channel also ended its broadcast from Latvia.

‘TV Rain’ came to the attention of Latvian authorities when it covered the war in Ukraine, and it was also perceived that its programs showed sympathy for Russian soldiers.

International media organizations including Reporters Without Borders criticized Latvia’s suspension of the channel’s license. The channel itself had termed the allegations against it as ‘absurd’ and ‘unfair’.