Across the country, Time Warner Cable subscribers are losing access to RT – Russia Today, just as tensions rise between governments in Moscow and Kiev.

The 24-hour news and information channel funded by the Kremlin’s Federal Agency on Press and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, provides news and views from across Russia, as well as a full schedule of international affairs and political/opinion programming, some produced in the United States. The network has been the subject of criticism for its coverage, which some believe is biased in favor of the Putin government’s world view.

Some Time Warner Cable systems dropped the network in January, but others are switching the network off this month. Time Warner Cable did not announce the channel drop in upstate New York and has no explanation for the reason the network was discontinued.

Customers still interested in watching the network can find a live stream of RT available free of charge on the network’s website.

The loss of RT will not result in a lower cable bill. Time Warner Cable recently added Al Jazeera America to most of its cable systems and is planning to add a number of new channels this month:

• Liquidation Channel: A 24/7 home shopping and auction channel featuring jewelry and accessories;
• EPIX: A premium movie channel. TWC will add: EPIX1 East, EPIX1 EAST HD, EPIX1 West, EPIX1 WEST HD, EPIX 2, EPIX 2 HD, EPIX 3, EPIX 3 HD and EPIX Drive-In March 18;
• TWC Sportsnet Los Angeles SD & HD arrives at the end of this month;
• TVG: A horse racing and online horse betting network. Coming April 1;
• Vivid TV: A hardcore porn channel featuring titles produced by studio Vivid Entertainment