Netflix Won’t Add Russian Broadcasters to Service, Defying New Regulation
Russian rule requires services reaching more than 100,000 subscribers to carry some 20 Russian broadcasters
Netflix, which launched in Russia just over a year ago, has under one million customers in the country, according to a person familiar with the matter.PHOTO: ROBYN BECK/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
By Joe Flint Follow
Updated Feb. 28, 2022 3:25 pm ET
Netflix Inc. NFLX 0.83% said it has no plans to add any Russian channels to its service there despite a regulation that would require the streaming giant to carry several Russian state-run broadcasters.
“Given the current situation, we have no plans to add these channels to our service,” a Netflix spokesman said Monday, referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The spokesman declined to comment on whether it had informed Russian authorities that it wouldn’t be adding the channels.
Netflix, which launched in Russia just over a year ago, was told in December that it would have to comply with a new rule requiring the company to distribute as many as 20 local news, sports and entertainment channels, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The law applies to all audio and visual services available in Russia that reach more than 100,000 subscribers. Netflix is the only international programmer that has enough subscribers to comply with the rule, the person said.
Netflix doesn’t disclose subscriber numbers in specific countries, but it has under one million customers in Russia, the person familiar with the matter said.
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