Watching TV has become an obsession for millions of people in Russia, who spend from 5 to 14 hours a day with a television switched on. New entertaining TV channels, home-made series, funny shows and quiz programs have completely changed our life and TV preferences for the past 15 years. Nevertheless, the majority of Russian people still doesn’t have an access to satellite TV and are almost forced to watching three or four federal channels covering the whole territory of Russia and therefore influencing the people’s opinions.

Channel One

Channel One is admitted to be the most popular and highly rated TV channel in Russia. Its programs are received by 98.8% of all Russia’s population – this fact is affirmed by TV market research companies.

Programs aired by Channel One are also broadcasted via satellites in Europe, Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Australia and North America.

At the beginning of 1995 the changes were vitally necessary, since the channel’s rating had sunk and lost a big part of its audience by that time. In attempt to regain the popularity, the new administration of the channel got rid of “weak” programs and build up a new broadcasting structure.

Today Channel One airs such programs as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Star Factory along with many other home-made programs. Besides, the channel performs as a producer of Russian movies and series.

As the key federal channel, Channel One actually conveys the official opinion of the government and the President, giving a little chance for the oppositional forces to voice their attitude regarding this or that issue.

Russia TV Channel

The history of Russia TV Channel dates back to May of 1991. It is the second national channel, which covers almost all Russian territory and is received by 98.5% of Russian population. Over 50 million people living in the CIS countries and the Baltic States make the bedrock audience of the channel. Recently launched satellite broadcasting has helped to considerably increase the audience size. Today the channel is watched in Western Europe, Middle East and North Africa. The administration of the channel plans to expand the coverage to the USA.

News program “Vesti” has always been the key program of the channel. It has repeatedly been awarded as the best informational program in Russia. Feature films account for 35% of the all broadcasting time of the channel.

Russia TV Channel as well as Sports Channel and Culture Channel belong to The All-Russia State Television and Radio Company (VGTRK).

VGTRK is Russia’s biggest Media Corporation, which was established by the governmental Decree in 1990. VGTRK runs several TV channels and radio stations. Russia TV Channel is the major project of the corporation. In 1993 VGTRK became an active member of the European Broadcasting Union.

The next important decision made by the corporation on the initiative of Russian workers of culture headed by Dmitri Likhachev, Mstislav Rostropovich and Daniil Granin turned to be the creation of the All-Russian Channel Culture (Kultura). The new channel started broadcasting 1 November, 1997.

Today the corporation also owns Sport Channel, the first public state channel for kids and teenagers Bibigon, 89 regional TV companies, the Russia’s first around-the-clock Channel Vesti, Russian Version of Euronews Channel, three radio stations, etc.

NTV

NTV Company was founded in 1993 and still maintains its status of the first federal privately-owned channel.

The Russian audience of NTV exceeds 120 million people. Besides it is available in the CIS countries, Western Europe, the Middle East, the USA and Canada.

Since 1993 the journalists, who initially worked for NTV, had to leave it due to political reasons. In the beginning, the channel used to focus on analytic and political programs criticizing the government and the President. The changes occurred in 2001 with Gazprom Media’s decision to buy 46% of NTV’s stake. Many journalists were forced to give up their positions and move to other channels.

Today NTV still airs a number of news commentary programs and sometimes reports about the opposition’s activities.

REN TV

REN TV, one of the biggest privately-owned TV channels of Russia, was based on REN TV Television Production Company and started broadcasting in 1997. REN TV network unites 825 independent broadcasters in Russia, the CIS and Baltic states. The potential audience of the Channel amounts to 120 million people.

REN TV’s programs are targeted at male audience of 25-54, having average or higher income and taking world positively. However, the channel is quite popular among women, since its news program expresses traditionally another point of view regarding daily political events, which is interesting for many educated people irrespective of gender.

Sources:

    www.1tv.ru
    www.rutv.ru
    www.vgtrk.ru
    www.ntv.ru
    www.rent-tv.com

Olga Pletneva