Putin signs law banning foreign companies from measuring TV ratings in Russia

Vladimir Putin has signed a law that prohibits foreign companies from measuring television audiences in Russia. According to the decree, companies must be accredited to measure TV ratings by Russia's state censor Roskomnadzor. Foreign governments are forbidden from applying for this accreditation, as are companies and organizations with more than 20-percent non-Russian ownership.

The law will take effect on September 1, 2017. It was approved by the Federation Council, Russia’s upper branch of parliament, on June 29, and by the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, on June 22.