MCIP says that the shutdown of "Espreso," Priamyy, and Channel 5 is outside their jurisdiction

The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine said that shutting channels off from digital broadcasting is not within the ministry's jurisdiction. This was the ministry's comment on the shutdown of "Espreso," Priamyy, and Channel 5 from digital broadcasting, which they gave in response to a request from "Detector Media."

"According to the Regulation on the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on October 16, 2019 № 885, disconnection of TV channels from digital broadcasting, the issue of payment for seats in multiplexes is not within the MCIP's jurisdiction," the statement says.

As ІМІ has reported, on April 4, Channel 5, "Priamyy," and "Espreso" announced that on April 4 in the morning the Broadcasting, Radiocommunications, and Television Concern (BRTC) had shut down the broadcasting of these TV channels in T2 digital network. The channels declared that the shut down was illegal, as there is no document that would give the BRT Concern justifications for it, and that neither the National Council nor the Ministry of Defence, which is mandated to regulate the martial law, nor the NSDC or any other govenment bodies have approved any decisions about shutting the channels down.

Digital television provider "Zeonbud," which is currently subject to the governmental BRT Concern, is not aware of the reasons for "Espreso," "Priamyy," and Channel 5 being shut down.

The National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting has announced that it has not approved of the decision to shut down the "Priamyy," Channel 5, and "Espreso" channels, and does not have a mandate to do so.

On April 8, Media Movement and the Commission on Journalistic Ethics urged the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to intervene in the situation with the shutdown of "Espresso," "Priamyy," and Channel 5, to explain the reasons for it, and to renew their broadcasting.

On April 8, the staff of "Espreso," "Priamyy," and Channel 5 urged the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to react to the actions of the Broadcasting, Radiocommunications, and Television (BRT) Concern which, in their opinion, violate the constitutional rights of the channels' staff.

On April 14, the staff of "Espreso," "Priamyy," and Channel 5 issued an open letter to the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine Matti Maasikas about being banned from digital broadcasting.

On May 9, the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine explained that the reason for shutting off the digital broadcasting of "Espreso," Priamyy, and Channel 5 was an implementation of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine regarding the broadcast of a joint telethon.