Current Time TV
Russian-language television channel based in Prague
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Current Time TV (Russian: Настоящее Время, romanized: Nastoyashcheye Vremya) is a Russian-language television channel with editorial office in Prague, created by the US organisations Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America.
 | |
| Country | Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Russia, Ukraine, countries of Central Asia and Eastern Europe |
| Headquarters | Prague |
| Programming | |
| Language | Russian |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| History | |
| Launched | 7 February 2017 |
| Links | |
| Webcast | en |
| Website | Russian: currenttime English en Entertainment votvot |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Tet (Latvia) | MUX2 (Channel 22, Pay TV) |
Mission
The channel – via RFE/RL – is funded through grants from the US Congress through the US Agency for Global Media.[1] The media sees its task in "promoting democratic values and institutions". RFE/RL launched Current Time, in October 2014.[2] The official round-the-clock broadcasting began on February 7, 2017.[3][4][5]
Current Time was instituted as an alternative to Kremlin-controlled media and Russian propaganda.[6][7] Despite the fact that Current Time was intended to counterbalance Russian official news coverage, Kenan Aliyev,[8] executive editor of Current Time, told Reuters that C.T. was not counterpropaganda at all.[9]
Reception
In December 2017 Russia's Ministry of Justice added the outlet to the list of "foreign agents". It, alongside 8 other American public broadcasters, was the first mass media outlet to be included to the list of "foreign agents".[10]
Distribution
Current Time is available on cable, satellite and digital platforms in Russia, the Baltics, Belarus, Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Caucasus and central Asia.[9] It had over 1,500,000 followers on Facebook and 1,300,000 subscribers on YouTube in August 2020.[5]
On 27 February 2022, Roskomnadzor blocked the website of the channel for its coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[11] On January 5, 2024, a Belarusian court declared the Internet pages of “Current Time” extremist.[12]
In April 2025, following a decision of the U.S. Agency for Global Media distribution via Astra and Eutelsat satellite networks ceased.[13]