Netflix has stated that it has “no plans” to broadcast 20 free-to-air channels in Russia, as required by Russian legislation.
Some of the channels, including news, sports, and entertainment, are said to be linked with Russian officials.
After achieving over 100,000 users, the streaming giant’s services were registered to a Russian audio-visual services register by Russian regulator Roskomnadzor in December 2021.
As a result, Netflix is in principle needed to comply with a legislation known locally as the Vitrina TV law, which mandates the distribution of 20 “must carry” television stations.
Despite predictions that it will be imposed on March 1, the PA news agency knows that the law is not completely implemented.
“Given the current situation, we have no plans to add these channels to our service,” stated a Netflix spokeswoman in a statement.
The streaming service’s presence in Russia is still limited, with no offices or staff on the ground.
Netflix is still providing its service to Russian subscribers while constantly watching the situation in Ukraine.
Netflix Inc said on Monday that it has no plans to add state-run channels to its Russian service in the near future, despite a rule that would force the streaming service to carry state-backed channels.
A Netflix spokeswoman declined to comment on the timing of the announcement or if the firm had discussions with Russian officials. It is unclear how the ruling will affect the service.
Russia is one of the 190 countries that provide Netflix.