NewsOne TV channel cancelled TV linkup with Russia

NewsOne TV channel  has cancelled the TV linkup "Need to talk" with the Russian TV channel Rossiya-24 (VGTRK), as to the website of the NewsOne. "NewsOne announces the cancellation of the Need to Talk television marathon because of direct threats of physical reprisals addressed to the channel, its journalists, and their families," NewsOne said in a statement posted on its website on Monday. "Our efforts to set up a platform for debate of non-political issues by means of ordinary people who have never casted doubts of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, without any politicians and odious propagandists has led to a massive informational attack recently launched by a number of political parties against our TV channel. They put forth statements about protest actions before the TV channel office, and since yesterday evening they used direct threats of physical assault against the journalists and their relatives, "- the NewsOne statement reads. IMI reported, the National Council on Television and Radio will hold an extraordinary meeting on July 9 due to announced TV link-up between NewsOne and Russia 24, as to the National Council on TV and radio broadcasting website. The Security service of Ukraine (SBU) has initiated an urgent extraordinary meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), with purpose to adopt several personal sanctions against the legal entities which are broadcasting "112 Ukraine" and NewsOne TV channels, and to enter it into force by means of the relevant Decree of the President of Ukraine. On July 7, Russian presenter Dmitry Kiselev announced in the program "News of the week" that a joint teleconference "Need to talk" with the Ukrainian TV channel NewsOne belonging to the ally of Viktor Medvedchuk, Taras Kozak, was to be held on July 12. NewsOne has announced that it is launching a joint project with the Russian television channel "Russia 24" "Need to talk", since they thought one should initiate discussion between "the peoples of the two countries, and not the politicians." On October 5, 2018, the MP from the "Opposition Bloc" Taras Kozak got the corporate rights of the NewsOne TV channel. On December 14, 2018, the "112 Ukraine" TV channel informed that Taras Kozak, a MP from the opposition party "Opposition bloc", became the new owner of the channel. On June 14, it became known that ZIK TV channel was bought by an ally of Viktor Medvedchuk, Taras Kozak, who also owns NewsOne TV channels and 112 Ukraine. Based on his media assets, he is going to create a new media holding "News". Immediately after the announcement of the sale of ZIK TV channel, a number of top managers and journalists resigned.