French regulator Arcom orders the cessation of two Russian channels, STS and Channel 5, from the satellite operator Eutelsat, citing 2014 EU sanctions on their parent company.
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| Arcom, the French media regulator, has ordered the ban of two Russian entertainment channels, STS and Channel 5, on Eutelsat, citing EU sanctions from 2014. Image: Eutelsat |
Paris, France — March 24, 2025:
In a move reflecting the ongoing tensions between Russia and the West, France’s media regulator, Arcom, has demanded that the local satellite operator, Eutelsat, stop broadcasting two Russian entertainment channels—STS and Channel 5. The decision was prompted by sanctions placed on the channels’ parent company, the National Media Group (NMG), following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. While STS and Channel 5 were not directly targeted by the sanctions, their ownership by NMG, a company heavily involved with the Russian government, led to the ban.
The French regulator’s order was made public on Friday, with Eutelsat given three days to comply, starting Wednesday. This marks the first time Arcom has used the powers granted by the SREN law passed in May 2024, designed to enforce EU sanctions on French companies involved with sanctioned entities. The law allows Arcom to impose fines of up to 3% of a company’s annual sales, with the penalty increasing to 5% for repeated violations.
National Media Group, founded by Russian billionaire Aleksey Mordashov, owns several other prominent Russian TV channels, including Channel One and Ren TV. While STS and Channel 5 focus on entertainment programming, Channel 5 also features a small block of news content.
Despite the sanctions, Eutelsat continues to broadcast other Russian channels, including Russia 1, through a contract with the Russian company Trikolor, covering over 180 frequencies. The European Union imposed sanctions on Russian media outlets like RT and Sputnik in 2022 as part of broader measures to address Russia’s actions in Ukraine. However, the enforcement of these bans has been inconsistent across EU member states.
The Russian government has denounced the sanctions, claiming they are an attempt to stifle alternative viewpoints, which could challenge the Western narrative on global events.