How a French satellite operator helps keep Russia’s TV propaganda online

A group of Georgians banded together to set up a new Russian-language television station, Kanal PIK, after Russia's annexation of South Ossetia.

Georgia's public broadcaster helped them sign a five-year deal with Eutelsat to beam their station into the Caucasus. Two weeks after they launched, Eutelsat dropped them. The space on the satellite had been promised to the Gazprom Media Group, a key pillar in Moscow's tightly controlled media system.

The saga leaves Intersputnik and Gazprom Media Group, both of which adhere to the Kremlin's editorial line, with a defacto satellite transmission monopoly.

Russia has been trying to consolidate its information dominance in the region for more than a decade. Eutelsat is making it possible again. Two experts on the satellite industry say that it's time for Ukraine's allies to force Eutelsat to report on the situation in Ukraine.

One half of the Denis Diderot Committee says that it is not normal that a French satellite is used for a propaganda war. Jim Phillipoff is a former satellite TV executive and ex-Kyiv Post CEO. He is the other half of the Diderot Committee.

The committee was formed in March and only one recommendation was made: Unplug Russia's main satellite television providers from the Eutelsat satellites and replace them with stations carrying independent and credible journalism into Russia.

Russian television has 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 888-349-8884 Satellite television is important for areas with poor broadband. 30 percent of Russian households pay for satellite television according to the Council of Europe. Phillipoff says that half of the country has satellite dishes.

The dishes receive signals from five satellites. The Russian government owns one of the two most important satellites, 36B, which is owned by Eutelsat, and the other, 36C, which is leased to Eutelsat. The other three satellites are managed by Eutelsat, which covers central, northern, and eastern Russia.