Why is DirecTV still broadcasting Russian Television (RT on Channel 321)?

How can Direct TV Support the RT Television network? RT is a Russian state-controlled international television network funded by the tax budget of the Russian government. Russia is does not believe in freedom of the press amongst numerous others. 

Google and other platforms have already blocked RT. 

I would like to know if Direct TV is going to remove this network from its platform, if not I along with numerous others are going to cancel our subscriptions.

I fully agree, how can AT&T allow this channel to air? Their reply below is laughable.

The rest of the free world is sanctioning Russia but Direct TV will stand by its contract with a ruthless Dictator that is killing innocent people in Ukraine.

Is this really the values AT&T holds? We live with our contracts with RT which is a Russian State-Controlled international television network funded by the tax budget of the Russian government.

AT&T/DirecTV has a contractual obligation to carry RT. They cannot simply drop it. Only when the agreement comes up can they choose not to renew the agreement. Current events do not change that. You may not like it but that is how it works.

And normally such agreements are built that a break in carriage agreement have the penalty so high that is just isn't an option.

Why is Directv supporting a Russian Television network?

Did they not put in their contract that if Russia invades another country with NO legitimate reason then they could stop broadcasting??

I am very happy that ATT/Directv is NOT renewing their contract with OANNews.  It is only a (Edited per community guidelines) network for the GOP.

It cannot happen soon enough.

If you would like to speak to the ones who make decisions on these things, customers can call the AT&T Office Of The President. 877-998-5160.

Historically service agreements like that have such a steep penalty that breaking it would cause excessive financial hardship to the company.

Would you prefer AT&T drops the channel and then doubles/triples the cost of service or just go out of business? I don't think that would be worth it to drop it early.

Contracts are not as simple and easy as you make it seem. Sorry but AT&T is not supporting the war. They are simply following the carriage agreement they already have in place.

@Juniper is correct. The penalty for breaking this agreement would hurt DIRECTV big time.

I am outraged to find that DirectTV is still carrying RT, the (Edited per community guidelines) tool of the enemy of the democratic, free peoples of the world, Vladimir Putin. Further, Direct TV actually has the gall to charge people to receive this dangerous, treacherous, hogwash.  Get this station off Direct TV NOW, or lose many, many customers. 

To UniversalNetSolutions, this is a special case. As a matter of conscience, organizations can break contracts and then deal with the fallout.  It really is correct to divest from Russia, for example the state of California is doing this from pension funds now. RT is the voice of Putin. We cant give him a voice to try to make the case it is ok for him to do this to Ukraine. 

To Juniper, pay attention to what is going on in the world. Russia has been expelled from the 2022 World Cup and its teams suspended from all international football competitions  after President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, FIFA announced in a joint statement with UEFA on Monday.  If this can happen, ATT and DirectTV can drop RT.  Dont be naive. 

There is language in Directv's contract that allows them to suspend the channel. There is language that allows them to suspend a channel if it is doing serious damage to the Directv brand. They are also allowed to suspend a channel if they feel it is violating FCC rules against the incitement of violence. I watched russia today tv for 2 hours on Directv, they are definitely inciting violence. Besides does anyone think Directv would really get in any trouble if they suspended it for awhile!

So... let me get this straight.  You kill OANN from your channel lineup because a few dozen crybaby commie activists wet their panties about a right wing "(Edited per community guidelines)" news station having all the quality of a high school AV club is being broadcast, but you leave the outright post-commie propagandist channel of Russia Times alone because... and this is where I get confused.  You're either cluelessly tone-deaf, or your a bunch of commies yourselves.

How about this: stop pandering to crybabies with wet panties, and kill the actual (Edited per community guidelines) channel.

GET RUSSIAN (Edited per community guidelines) OFF DIRECTTV, NOW ! I watched a six year old girl die on cnn yesterday, are you going to wait until the bloodshed forces you to remove them. I have read that your contracts prevent you from severing ties with RT, don't your contracts require standards from RT, if not why ? When does the contract with RT end ? Even if it costs you some cash, aren't there clauses that allow to terminate your contract with Rt ? ARe the contracts available for viewing ?

@Rmar 

Comes down to what exactly is in the contract. As much as they might disapprove of Russia's actions over there, what matters for channel carriage is if such actions violate the agreement. If they don't then their contract would stand.

That is not being naïve. They can't just drop contracts left and right simply on principal. It must be within the rules of the contract. So unless they have a clause that gives them an out, they would have to wait until the contract comes up to decide if they will renew it or not.