The editor-in-chief of Dozhd denied information about the change of ownership of the TV channel

The editor-in-chief of the Dozhd TV channel (recognized as a foreign media agent in the Russian Federation) Tikhon Dzyadko (included by the Ministry of Justice in the list of individuals-foreign agents) denied the information about the change of ownership of the channel. About this he wrote in your Telegram channel.

“Hello everyone, I read that Rain has changed ownership. No, this is not so – Rain did not change ownership, and even such negotiations did not take place. It is a pity that many are led to incomprehensible sources, ”wrote Dzyadko.

On the change of ownership of Dozhd earlier in the day informed Telegram channel O!News with a link to the source. According to them, the Dutch media tycoon, founder of Independent Media, Derk Sauer, who had previously helped Dozhd obtain a license to broadcast in the Netherlands, became the new owner.

After Dzyadko denied the information, the publication claimedthat Souwer “attracted several sources of funding under guarantees, which he confirmed by the fact that he owns the channel.”

On December 6, 2022, the National Electronic Media Council (NEPLP) of Latvia canceled the broadcasting license of the Dozhd TV channel due to “due to a threat to national security and public order”. Lithuania and Estonia, following Latvia, made a similar decision to stop broadcasting the channel.

The revocation of Dozhd’s broadcasting license followed two warnings. The first violation was related to the airing of a map showing Crimea as part of Russia. For this, the TV channel was fined 10,000 euros. The second warning “Rain” received after the journalist of the TV channel Alexei Korostelev called the Russian army “ours” live and expressed the hope that by covering problems in the Russian army, the TV channel would be able to help the mobilized “with equipment and with just basic amenities at the front” . After these words, Korostelev was fired, after him several employees left the channel.

December 22, 2022 Dutch media commission published a message according to which “Rain” received a license to broadcast in the country.