Russia's RT unlikely to get Luxembourg licence - Bild
Luxembourg is unlikely to grant the German-language channel of the controversial Russian state broadcaster TV RT a licence to air its programmes from the Grand Duchy, German newspaper Bild reported on Thursday.
Citing unnamed sources, Bild said that Luxembourg's department for media, digital and communications - which falls under Prime Minister Xavier Bettel - is expected to publicly announce it will not grant a licence to the broadcaster, which is often described as a propaganda outlet.
German press reported in June that RT – formerly known as Russia Today – had sought a licence to stream its German language services from Luxembourg, given that Germany prohibits broadcasts from foreign state-funded companies.
RT DE is based in Berlin, and the Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg (MABB) regulator would therefore be responsible for a licence, according to Bild, which also reports that a licence would need to be granted in both countries.
ANO TV-Novosti, which owns RT, contacted Luxembourg to say it intended to stream from the Grand Duchy, Xavier Bettel, who is also Media Minister, said in response to a parliamentary question in July.
Under an EU directive, media from non-EU countries can fall under the jurisdiction of a country within the bloc if they use its satellite capacity.
An article in the Süddeutsche Zeitung said there had been a meeting between Luxembourg's intelligence agency SREL, the media regulator ALIA, diplomats and their German counterparts about the possible application of a German-language channel by RT to stream from December.
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