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Visitor

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4 Messages

Monday, February 28th, 2022 8:06 PM

Closed

Drop Russian TV

As the whole world has united to stop Russia from the crime against humanity, dropping Russian TV channels is a way to stop Comcast subscribers sponsoring Russian government. What is the best way to submit this request?

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Retired Employee

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5.9K Messages

3 years ago

**Original Post**

@makropod 

Thank you for posting your question here in the Xfinity Forum. As mentioned by our Expert @rightfooted you can certainly submit the request form through the link they provided. However, in light of recent events in the Ukraine, we have removed the Russian channel offerings and programming packages from our television platforms. Additionally, we want to support our customers impacted by the events taking place in Ukraine by helping them stay connected with loved ones during this difficult time. From Feb. 20 to March 10, 2022, Comcast will waive all charges for calls to Ukraine for Xfinity Mobile, Xfinity Voice and Comcast Business Voice customers.

Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns. 

**Update**

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this decision may have caused. We want to address some of the recent questions and comments we have received. 

Please, return back NY-based RTN-WMNB and independent RTVi which remains the only source of objective information on US TV coming from that part of the world in russian language.

We can’t comment on any individual channels that were in the offerings or packages that were removed. If individual providers do not believe their channels should've been removed, Comcast will be open to meeting with them to discuss the reintroduction of their channels to our platform.

Do you plan to put the content back up in the future?

At this point, all we can say is that we are removing access to the content.

will you stop billing the customers for the channels removed? Those three channels C1/RTN/RTVI cost $29.99 plus tax

Yes. We'll contact impacted customers about refunds and credits in the coming weeks. Customers will not be charged for these packages in the future unless they are reinstated.

We appreciate all the feedback. If we have any additional updates to provide we will do so here. Thank you for your understanding. 

**Update**

As of Wednesday, March 9, we have reinstated Russian-language channels Impact TV and RTN (Russian Television Network), and existing subscribers can resume watching these channels. New subscriptions to these two channels will continue to be disabled while we work through repackaging and pricing.

Once we have more updates to share, we will do so here.

(edited)

Visitor

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4 Messages

@XfinityJessie​ THANK YOU!

Official Employee

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455 Messages

@makropod You're welcome. We're always happy to help in any way that we can! 

I no longer work for Comcast.

I am an Official Xfinity Employee.
Official Employees are from multiple teams within Xfinity: CARE, Product, Leadership.
We ask that you post publicly so people with similar questions may benefit from the conversation.
Was your question answered? Please, mark a reply as the Accepted Answer.tick

Visitor

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1 Message

@XfinityJessie​ What about Russian language channels that were not originated in Russia.  Like New York based RTN 

Visitor

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3 Messages

@XfinityRobertA​ This is wrong. My mom just watches movies and russian jeopardy, and soap operas. She is a U.S. citizen, but she doesn't speak English that well. Let her enjoy her programs. We hate Putin as much as anyone. If you want to cancel Russian propaganda then cancel Tucker Carlson and Faux News!

Visitor

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1 Message

I agree with LGin51. This is totally wrong.  I also have a mother-in-law who has very limited English skills and watches the Russian TV programs for entertainment purposes. She's 80 years old now and you just cancel these stations without warning to us. This is just pure censorship. You are giving me another reason to drop your service. Extremely disappointed please come explain to my mother-in-law why she can't watch the shows she enjoys.  She's living in America because she loves it hear and supports America. [Edited: "Inflammatory/Political"]. You better not charge me for one minute of programming you don't provide, [Edited: "Inflammatory"]

(edited)

Visitor

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2 Messages

3 years ago

This is a bad choice.  You are supposed to support your customers who pay for this service.  If you persist in this lunacy, I assume you will not bill me for services I am not getting.

Contributor

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48 Messages

3 years ago

this is censorship - XFINITY has no rights to tell paying customers what they can or can not watch

Contributor

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48 Messages

3 years ago

but what XFINITY did is even worse - along with [Edited: "Political"] propaganda, they also dropped NY-based RTN-WMNB ([Edited: "Political"]) and independent RTVi which remains the only source of objective information on US TV coming from that part of the world in russian language and RKINO which shows nothing but movies - no news, no political analyses, no propaganda

again, let us decide what to watch - don't think you're smarter than your viewers - we're much more capable of recognizing propaganda [Edited: "Inflammatory"]

(edited)

Visitor

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3 Messages

3 years ago

My mom just watches movies and russian jeopardy, and soap operas. She is a U.S. citizen, but she doesn't speak English that well. Let her enjoy her programs. [Edited: "Inflammatory/Political"]. I'm fine with certain channels being canceled. But several of them are just movie channels, and others are based in New York. [Edited: "Inflammatory"]

(edited)

Visitor

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2 Messages

3 years ago

I have Russian TV package on my TV. Xfinity removed all Russian channels from its listing. Would my package be removed from billing by Xfinity starting today? (it is not available, so starting March 2, 2022, I don't have access to this feature).

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled Russian TV package

Official Employee

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933 Messages

Hi there @user_d64a5c, we'll be contacting impacted customers about refunds and credits in the coming weeks. Customers will not be charged for these packages in the future unless they are reinstated.

Please let us know if you have any other questions. 

I no longer work for Comcast.

I am an Official Xfinity Employee.
Official Employees are from multiple teams within Xfinity: CARE, Product, Leadership.
We ask that you post publicly so people with similar questions may benefit from the conversation.
Was your question answered? Please, mark a reply as the Accepted Answer.tick

Visitor

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1 Message

3 years ago

Removing Russian language based programming is another way to perpetuate Russian phobia! Can’t believe this is even legal! This [Edited: "Inflammatory"] should not be allowed!  How about the freedom of speech? [Edited: "Inflammatory"] Russian speaking customers should drop Xfinity service altogether! Plenty of other options are there for TV, Internet and phone. 

(edited)

Visitor

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1 Message

3 years ago

Please, return back NY-based RTN-WMNB (that's totally anti-putin) and independent RTVi which remains the only source of objective information on US TV coming from that part of the world in russian language. By restricting them you are only forcing people to look for other sources of information that could be real russian propaganda channels.

Be smarter, Xfinity!

Visitor

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2 Messages

3 years ago

Hello. Your decision to remove Russian channels badly affect an elderly Russian-speaking customers like my parents.

And what about Russian language channels that are not originated in Russia.  Like New York based RTN ? Can you at least not remove this one?

Also, will you stop billing the customers for the channels removed? Those three channels C1/RTN/RTVI cost $29.99 plus tax

thank you,

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled RTN channel

Visitor

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2 Messages

I’m in agreement! We are Russian speaking and always listen to the news in Russian. RTN is airing from NY and it has a lot of Israeli shows and news that we listen to and it makes no sense for it to be canceled. Please bring it back. 

Contributor

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48 Messages

3 years ago

we're getting conflicting messages:

1. "all providers removing russain channels" - we can't confirm what other providers do, but the only info we can find is that Dish Network and DirectTV removed RT channel, which is completely different issue
2. this is temporary and ALL channels will be restored soon

3. only SOME channels will be restored soon

4. XFINITY has no control over this and some mysterious "broadcaster" makes all decisions

Can XFINITY please clarify its position? - the overall approach, the timelines, the actions?...

this is getting increasingly frustrating and no information has been provided

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled Please provide XFINITY's official position on removing \ restoring russian-language channels

Contributor

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48 Messages

3 years ago

this is definitely a progress, @XfinityJessie​ - thank you
but...
1.  who are those "individual providers" who are supposed to negotiate their reintroduction - did you even inform them they've been removed - we seriously doubt it
2.  you're punishing wrong people - we're desperately seeking objective information in our native language, not Russian-sponsored propaganda  - and we're the only ones who can tell the difference instead of painting all the channels with the same brush - just like XFINITY did

3.  XFINITY is hiding behind "all providers are doing this" argument - we can not verify that - the only info we can find is that Dish Network and DirectTV removed RT Channel which is THE most extreme form of Russian propaganda and thankfully has never been part of the XFINITY lineup

All we're asking is to be trusted - we're perfectly capable of making our own viewing choices, especially when it comes to our own motherland - do you really believe that you guys know the subject better than us?


[Edited: "Inflammatory/Political"]


Thanks again

(edited)

Visitor

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2 Messages

3 years ago

This is all pretty silly.  The gesture is surely only symbolic.  Whatever revenue ends up in the Russian government's pocket is trivial compared to other sanctions.  And the only ones who notice this symbolic act, are the ones who watch Russian tv and would like to continue to do so.

Contributor

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48 Messages

3 years ago

Yes it broadcasts in russian language, but it'a based in NJ-NY, owned, produced and ran by US Jewish citizens and targets Jewish audience (emigrants from former USSR).

It has no relations what so ever with russian government or its "affiliates".

Please restore our access to RTN-WMNB.

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled RTN-WMNB is JEWISH Chanel - please restore the access

Official Employee

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1.7K Messages

We can’t comment on any individual channels that were in the offerings or packages that were removed. If individual providers do not believe their channels should've been removed, Comcast will be open to meeting with them to discuss the reintroduction of their channels to our platform.

I am an Official Xfinity Employee.
Official Employees are from multiple teams within Xfinity: CARE, Product, Leadership.
We ask that you post publicly so people with similar questions may benefit from the conversation.
Was your question answered? Please, mark a reply as the Accepted Answer.tick

Expert

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31K Messages

Closing this thread to further comments.

I am not a Comcast Employee.
I am a Customer Expert volunteering my time to help other customers here in the Forums.
We ask that you post publicly so people with similar questions may benefit from the conversation.

Was your question answered? Please mark an Accepted Answer!tick

Visitor

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2 Messages

3 years ago

You stopped broadcasting channels a week ago. What are your further plans?

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled Russian channels
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