The Russian government-backed TV network RT America is ending productions and laying off most of its staff, according to an internal memo obtained by CNN‘s Oliver Darcy.
T&R Productions gm and chief creative director Mikhail “Misha” Solodovnikov, who runs the company that operates RT America, told staff in the memo that it will be “ceasing production” at all of its locations “as a result of unforeseen business interruption events.”
“Unfortunately, we anticipate this layoff will be permanent, meaning that this will result in the permanent separation from employment of most T&R employees at all locations,” he wrote.
According to the memo, employment with T&R will end “on or about May 3, 2022” (meaning two months from day of publication).
Solodovnikov, who was removed from the International Academy of Arts & Sciences board of directors earlier this week, identified himself as RT America’s news director when the U.S. Department of Justice forced T&R to register as a foreign agent in 2017.
RT America was dropped earlier this week by DirecTV amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The satellite carrier was one of the two major television providers in the US to carry the network, along with Dish, which had yet to remove the network. Streaming content platform Roku also recently announced that it had banned RT America from its platform.
Earlier this week, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) called on U.S. stations to stop carrying Russian state-sponsored programming. “While the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, it does not prevent private actors from exercising sound, moral judgment,” NAB president Curtis LeGeyt said in a statement. “To that end, given the unprovoked aggression exhibited by Russia against the free and sovereign people of Ukraine, NAB calls on broadcasters to cease carrying any state-sponsored programming with ties to the Russian government or its agents.”
RT America staffers who worked from the network’s Washington D.C. bureau were told on Wednesday that an all-staff meeting would occur on Thursday afternoon, according to an email obtained by CNN.
When on-air and behind-the-scenes talent gathered in RT America’s lounge, Solodovnikov reportedly delivered the news in person.
“The meeting was all about two minutes,” a meeting attendee told CNN, adding that Solodovnikov told the staff RT America would be stopping production and that staff would be provided two months of paid severance.