Volya Cable has disconnected the independent TV channel Tvi from its universal programme in four cities – Poltava, Kherson, Simferopol and Sumy. Oleksandr Pivnyuk from the channel says that the disconnection came without warning meaning TVi has lost two-thirds of its subscribers in those cities.

Volys Cable, on the other hand, asserts that TVi was warned at the end of August that it was being added to the digital package. It asserts that this was in fulfilment of a decision by the National Broadcasting Council regarding the list of programmes in the universal programme.

As reported here, Volya is only one of a number of providers which suddenly decided to disconnect TVi altogether or move it to a much more expensive programme.  This is despite the channel’s enormously popularity.

Following outrage, the head of the National TV and Radio Broadcasting Council Volodymyr Manzhosov promised to check out providers who are arbitrarily cutting the independent TV channel TVi and other channels off after the election campaign.

The Chief Editor of TVi has accused the Broadcasting Council of being behind the providers’ actions. .

Examples of TV fare on other channels can be found here.  While there is indeed a moratorium on checks of media sources before the elections, this is aimed at preventing such media being placed under pressure.  There have been a very large number of protests from both within Ukraine and abroad to the measures against TVi which is virtually the last independent channel providing an opportunity to hear members of the opposition, criticism of those presently in power, etc.  The actions by providers throughout the country have deprived a very large number of viewers of such an opportunity.