Steven Barnett speaks to the FT about Nadine Dorries pressuring Ofcom over RT

Prof. Steven Barnett has spoken to the Financial Times in response to UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries calling for Ofcom to remove access to RT in the UK. As the FT reports, the UK culture secretary has been accused of putting British news organisations in Russia at risk after she called on the media regulator to review Moscow-based television station RT’s presence in the country. Nadine Dorries said Ofcom should take action against the broadcaster over concerns it would broadcast disinformation during the Ukraine crisis, prompting a warning from the Kremlin that it could expel UK journalists in response.

Dorries’ intervention has been met with criticism from MPs and those working in the media. Barnett in the article says, “It was a very foolish thing to do, It’s a great shame that we have a secretary of state who can’t stop and take advice before she shoots.”

Read the full article on FT.com.

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