The Ukrainian regulator National Council has removed TV 1000 East from the list of foreign channels that complies with the requirements of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television and Ukrainian legislation.
In a statement, it says that the channel was authorised for distribution in Ukraine on the basis on a licence issued by a Swedish media regulator, with the broadcast languages being English and Russian. London-based Viasat World Limited then informed the National Council that it was the owner of TV 1000 East, having been granted ownership in October 2015. Viasat also said the channel was licensed by Ofcom, being entitled to broadcast in English and Estonian in Estonia.
Quoting its deputy chairman Ulyana Feschuk, National Council adds that as the Swedish licence has now expired. National Council member Sergey Kostynskyy has meanwhile said that monitoring of the channel has shown it to be broadcast in Russia, which was not the case 12 years ago.
The Ukrainian regulator has therefore decided to remove TV 1000 East from the list of permitted channels in the country.
This will take place one month after the announcement, during which Viasat will be able to submit the necessary documentation to have it reinstated.
