Weekly Digest: Dozhd’s licence revoked in Latvia, New York Times journalists on strike

Latvia’s media regulator revoked the licence for Dozhd (TV Rain), independent Russian TV channel that relaunched outside Russia earlier this year. The organisation went into exile in the wake of the Kremlin’s censorship crackdown following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Its licence in Latvia was revoked earlier this week because of multiple occasions where Dozhd broadcast content supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine. Most prominently, the channel’s host seemed to suggest the organisation is helping Russian soldiers “with equipment and basic amenities at the front” in the war. Previous cases include displaying a map where occupied Crimea was shown as part of Russia.

The decision doesn’t mean that Dozhd will stop operating – it has a significant YouTube presence, which hasn’t been affected – but the revocation will have a negative impact on the organisation, including decreases in revenue and audience reach.

Dozhd and multiple independent Russian media outlets dispute the decision, pointing out that the issues cited by the regulator were mistakes rather than the organisation’s official position – which is firmly opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and arguing that the punishment isn’t commensurate with the missteps. 

Latvia’s media regulator said while explaining its decision that it “was convinced that the management of TV Rain did not understand the nature and gravity of each individual infringement, nor of any set of infringements”, BBC reports.

---

New York Times journalists started a historic 24-hour strike today as management and the union haven’t managed to agree on the conditions of a new contract. 1100 people are expected to walk out, and strike participants are calling on readers to “not cross the digital picket line” and refrain from using the company’s product for the day.

The strike doesn’t mean that coverage has stopped – for one, the company has many international employees who aren’t part of the NewsGuild of New York union – but it has certainly made life more difficult for the organisation’s leadership.

“The act of protest, which has not been staged by employees at the newspaper of record in decades [since 1981], will leave many of its major desks depleted of their staffs, creating a challenge for the news organization that millions of readers rely on”, CNN’s Oliver Darcy writes. 

---

The BBC is preparing to go fully online over the next decade, its director general Tim Davie said in his speech to the Royal Television Society.

As The Guardian summarises Davie said that “the BBC was committed to live broadcasting but Britons should prepare for the closure of many standalone channels and radio stations by the 2030s” in the wake of the current and looming shifts in media consumption. 

The future might involve bringing the BBC together in one app combining its offerings across the board, Davie noted. He said he was “open-minded” about the organisation’s funding model. The future of the licence fee, which is the BBC current business model, has been under threat in recent years. 

Bonus — Three more stories you might want to check out:

• The Wall Street Journal: Washington Post Considers Selling Tech Business It Built Up on Jeff Bezos’s Watch
• The Guardian: New Channel 4 funding talks suggest end of privatisation plan 
• Press Gazette: Sky News boss John Ryley to step down after 17 years in charge 

---