Last week, following reports that Netflix would be required to carry state media on its Russian-language service under a law “projected to take effect March 1,” the streamer confirmed that they would not be adding Russia’s Channel One, NTV, or Russian Orthodox Church channel. But now they are taking more drastic steps, shutting off the service entirely in Russia.
Given the situation in Russia, the streaming service confirmed that they have suspended the streaming service in the country altogether. Netflix launched its service in the country just over a year ago and currently has less than one million subscribers in the country. Other services like Disney+ have yet to launch in the country.
This is the latest escalation by media companies, in response to the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Multiple studios have postponed the released of their films, like Warner’s “The Batman,” Paramount’s “The Lost City,” and Disney’s “Turning Red.” Dozens of media organizations around the world, have removed RT, NTV, and other Russian propaganda outlets as well. In a handful of occasions, those channels have been replaced by United News, a 24-hour news broadcast coordinated by the four major TV organizations in Ukraine with support from the government.
RT America, after being dropped by DIRECTV and Roku, their largest distributors, was forced to shut down all of its operations.