Russian TV market over 2300 channels
March 21, 2016
A total of 2,370 TV channels have been identified as operating and accessible in Russia and/or having licences to broadcast in the country, according to a report by the European Audiovisual Observatory. Of these, at least 520 are regional representatives of national networks, the largest of which (with over 50 regional partners each) are REN TV, TNT, Rossiya 1, CTC, and Rossiya 24.
Over 80 per cent of Russian channels are in the hands of private companies, 13 per cent are state-owned, and 5 per cent have combined ownership (some of their shares are held by national or regional authorities). At the start of 2016, the major media holdings, owning the largest number of channels, were Gazprom Media (owning a total of more than 50 channels including the Red Media and ProfMedia holdings), VGTRK (30 channels owned partially or outright, plus regional television and radio companies), and National Media Group (25 channels, including Discovery Communications and Turner Broadcasting Systems).