Clips from the show "Evening with Vladimir Solovyov" occasionally reach Western media. In this show, they speak against Ukraine and the West. It is also said that the borders of the Soviet Union should be restored. There is also talk of the persecution of the Russian nation in the Baltic states.
Although many in Estonia are not aware of this show, thousands of people still watch it. Russian TV channels are easy to watch in Estonia. Near the border, only an antenna is needed. You can find the full show on YouTube. On new TVs, downloading the app is sufficient. For example, Perviy kanal and Rossiya are available in the Android store.
Three years ago, Estonia restricted the broadcasting of Russian propaganda channels. For example, Elisa and Telia can no longer show channels like RTR-Planeta or NTV Mir. However, people can still find ways to watch these channels. It is not prohibited.
Kristi Anniste, advisor at the Government Office, said that the influence of Russian TV channels has decreased. In 2022, a third of the population watched Russian channels. Now it's 10%. Anniste said that people can freely say whether they watch these channels.
The Consumer Protection Authority will have more rights to restrict propaganda channels. Andres Jõesaar from the Ministry of Culture said that this concerns the TV packages of telecom companies and hotel networks. There are no plans to restrict the free broadcast of Russian TV channels. It would be technically difficult. Jõesaar recalled that during the Soviet era, attempts were made to restrict Finnish television. Now we have a similar situation.