Useful Notes / Russian TV Networks

The history of television in Russia dates all the way back to October 1, 1931 — the launch of CT (Central Television). Initially one channel, it was eventually split into a couple of networks: First Program, Second Program and Educational Program (mostly unavailible outside Moscow).

After the fall of USSR, things became... complicated. Long story short, by 1993, there were three major players — VGTRK, RGTRK Ostankino (both Moscow-based) and GTRK "Petersburg — 5 Kanal" (St. Petersburg-based), all splinters of CT. Later, Ostankino effectively merged with a company called ORT, forming what we know now as Channel One, and 5 Kanal lost its position in the big three.

Currently, television in Russia is divided between state-owned and commercial (a number of channels are owned by the state-owned Gazprom). The federal channels are sorted into two "multiplexes" (what Americans know as "channels") following the rise of digital formats. Out of convenience, they will be sorted into multiplexes in this article as well.

The First Multiplex

Channel One

The Spiritual Successor to CT's First Program and later Ostankino's First Channel, Channel One (Первый канал, literally "First Channel") is half state-owned network and one of the moguls of Russian television. Beginning its life as ORT (Public Russian Television), it was created as an answer to the declining popularity of Ostankino's First Channel. ORT was launched as a network on April 1, 1995, month after the mysterious murder of its first CEO Vlad Listyev. During the 90's, it was most known for extensive news coverage (including the Long Runner evening news program Vremya) and Brazilian telenovelas. Since 1999 to the present day, it has Konstantin Ernst as its CEO.

Rossiya-1

Match-TV

NTV

5 Kanal

Rossiya-K

Rossiya-K, semi-officially known as Kultura (Culture), is a VGTRK network focusing on, weĺl, culture and arts in various forms. Launched in November 1997, it has stayed true to its mission ever since. The channel has a reputation for consistently airing even when other channels do not, as well as having a very limited audience.Opinions on channel tend to differ quite a lot: either it's the Only Sane Man amongst other networks, or an unneeded frequency hoarder. The latter opinion stems from the fact that it was hit by Audience-Alienating Era in 2009 while being not the most popular channel to begin with.

Rossiya-24

Karusel

OTR

TV Centr

The Second Multiplex

REN TV

Spas

STS

Domashniy

TV-3

Pyatnitsa!

Zvezda

Mir

TNT

Muz-TV

Other Notable Networks