TV viewers in Germany have the right to choose which TV channel to watch, experts say, commenting on the situation around the pressure on RT DE in Germany.
This point of view, in particular, was expressed by Albrecht Müller, publicist, German politician, editor of the magazine NachDenkSeiten.
He recalled that private TV channels, which belong to different companies, broadcast in Germany.
“For example, the media concern Bertelsmann or RTL.
They are also allowed to broadcast in Germany.
Then why can't a foreign country broadcast?
People themselves can make their own opinion, ”Müller said in an interview with RT DE.
According to him, the media, if necessary, are able to form certain moods against Russia in the viewer.
In particular, Muller expressed the opinion that the media have already changed the perception of Russia from 1990 and 2000 to the present.
“Or let's think back to the last 15 years.
During this period, the opinion about Russia was turned upside down, and this happened, so to speak, by order.
This has nothing to do with democracy and the free formation of opinion, ”concluded the interlocutor of RT DE.
Muller stressed that it is unprofitable for some forces in Germany to discuss the problems of the country, in particular, the state of the media.
“They are not democratic media and do not take into account the interests of ordinary people.
They are the media in the interests of big people, and are in their hands, ”Müller summed up.
Journalist and blogger Thomas Röper, in turn, expressed the opinion that the German authorities are doing everything possible to interfere with the broadcast of RT DE.
According to him, we are talking about politics, and in politics there is always the opportunity to "change something."
Also on russian.rt.com “Contradicts numerous conventions”: Lavrov on pressure on RT DE in Germany
“Nothing will change until the German government changes its course.
And it only says that it has nothing to do with all this, ”said Röper.
In addition, according to Röper, "everyone who is not mainstream is currently being threatened with clubs in Germany."
He noted that the RT channel objectively covers events in Germany.
“That is why he is undesirable.
After all, objective coverage of events also includes criticism of the government - on those issues on which the government does not want to hear it, and which are not covered by the mainstream media, ”concluded the interlocutor of RT.
“The actions of the German media regulator are illegal”
RT DE, a 24-hour news channel in German, was launched on 16 December.
Almost immediately after the start of the broadcast, the head of the European media watchdog, Tobias Schmid, challenged its legality, while the media regulator MABB demanded an explanation from RT why the German-language channel broadcasts to a German audience without the “correct” license.
At the same time, MABB ignored the fact that RT DE is broadcast from Moscow by the ANO TV-Novosti company, where editorial decisions are made, the hardware and on-air studios are located.
On December 22, MABB forced European satellite operator Eutelsat 9B to remove RT DE from satellite broadcasts in Europe.
“The actions of the German media regulator are illegal and violate the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, the provisions of which he must strictly follow.
The regulator forced Eutelsat 9B to exclude RT DE from its broadcasting network based on its groundless and contradictory statements, ”the RT press service emphasized.
In the second half of January, it became known from media reports that MABB passed information on RT DE to ZAK (a licensing commission consisting of representatives of German regional regulators). As stated on the structure's website, it decides on applications for licenses of private television and radio broadcasters that want to broadcast in Germany. According to media reports, a ZAK meeting on this issue is scheduled for early February.
“All the previous years, no matter what they said about RT DE, one thing remained unchanged: these are evil Moscow propagandists, materials for which Putin personally dictates to Margarita Simonyan via a secret telephone line, and “Moscow bosses” chastise for failures.
But here's the problem: right now, in order to officially block broadcasting, it is more profitable for the German regulator to prove that RT DE is a purely German media located in Berlin.
After all, the Russian channel, in principle, does not need to be licensed in Germany, ”Dinara Toktosunova, head of RT DE Productions, wrote in her Telegram channel.
Serbian director Emir Kusturica expressed his opinion on the issue of RT DE broadcasting.
He believes the MABB claims could be part of a broader opposition to Russian influence.
“At the moment, when technology surrounds us on all sides and when there are no borders, one of the TV channels ... does not seem to suit Germany.
I'm just afraid that this is not Germany's own decision.
It seems to me that this is a wider scale war that began just a few years ago, the focus here is on what they call Russian malign influence on the world, ”he said on RT.
“There is no excuse”: Emir Kusturica on the removal of RT DE from the air
The situation with RT DE broadcasting in Germany also became one of the topics of the meeting of the Russian and German foreign ministers, which took place on January 18 in Moscow.
Answering a question from an RT DE journalist, Annalena Burbock said that Berlin does not interfere in the broadcasting process of the TV channel, noting that it "works in Germany" and "is broadcast over the Internet."
According to her, the interference of the German government in the work of the media would be contrary to the country's constitution.
In turn, Sergei Lavrov expressed the hope that Berlin would take concrete steps to improve the working conditions for Russian journalists in Germany.
He explained that attempts to limit the broadcasting of RT DE contradict not only the European Convention on Transfrontier Television, but also numerous conventions of UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and agreements in the OSCE.