The Supreme Court has confirmed it will not hear an appeal from RT (Russia Today) against Ofcom’s 2019 fine for impartiality failings
RT was fined £200,000 for repeatedly failing to preserve due impartiality in seven news and current affairs programmes broadcast in March and April 2018. The programmes related to ‘political controversy and public policy’, namely the UK government’s response to the 2018 Salisbury poisonings and conflict in Syria.
RT challenged Ofcom’s decisions in the High Court and the Court of Appeal and both Courts rejected RT’s challenges on all grounds. RT then sought permission to bring an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Welcoming the Supreme Court’s refusal, Kevin Bakhurst, Ofcom group director, said ‘RT’s failures to preserve due impartiality were serious and repeated’ and Ofcom’s response was ‘fair and proportionate’.
