British media regulator Ofcom says Russia's state-funded international television network, RT, broke Britain's broadcasting code when it presented tweets and e-mails sent by its own staff as coming from viewers of a current-affairs program.
Ofcom's July 16 statement came as the watchdog continues an investigation into whether RT breached impartiality rules in its reporting about a nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain.
Ofcom since 2012 has repeatedly found RT to have breached its rules on impartiality and of broadcasting "materially misleading" content.
It also has warned RT's producer, TV Novosti, that it could lose the right to broadcast in Britain because of repeated violations.
RT said on July 16 that mistakes made on a program hosted by former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond simply reflected teething problems, adding that it had "grave concerns" about Ofcom's response.
RT also said Ofcom had not sufficiently considered its explanations before the British media regulator made a provisional statement in April about its coverage of the nerve-agent attack.
Britain and several Western governments have blamed the attack on Russia. Moscow denies any involvement.
