DirecTV, Roku Pull Russia’s RT Channel From TV Lineup

(Bloomberg) -- DirecTV, one of the largest U.S. pay-TV providers, is pulling the Russian-government-controlled RT network from its service, citing that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

An agreement between DirecTV and RT was set to expire in the second half of 2022, but the invasion pushed the company to act sooner to end the arrangement, a spokesman said Tuesday. DirecTV is a joint venture between AT&T Inc. and the private equity giant TPG.

“In line with our previous agreement with RT America, we are accelerating this year’s contract expiration timeline and will no longer offer their programming effective immediately,” a DirecTV spokesman said in a statement.

DirecTV was joined by Roku Inc., which makes a popular set-top box used for streaming. A spokesperson said Tuesday RT will be removed from the Roku Channel Store worldwide, including the U.S.

RT has been losing reach on TV for a few years now. Comcast Corp. and Charter Communications Inc. both dropped RT a few years ago. RT also disappeared in the Washington D.C. area in 2018 after a public broadcast station that carried its programming went off the air.

In January, DirecTV dropped conservative channel One America News Network after public criticism for spreading misinformation 

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