The fifth operator of satellite television has been launched in Russia – it will work in new territories

The fifth operator of satellite television, but with special tasks, appeared in Russia, Vedomosti found out. He began working in the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol from the beginning of December, according to his website. “The project of direct satellite television broadcasting was created with the support of the All-Russian Popular Front. It broadcasts all-Russian and local channels of various genres, ”the Russkiy Mir website states.

The Russkiy Mir office did not respond to Vedomosti, but the launch of the project was confirmed by officials and members of the All-Russian Popular Front (ONF). “The Popular Front considers it important to develop such projects as the Russkiy Mir, supports it with information,” a representative of the ONF told Vedomosti, emphasizing that financial support [со стороны движения] there is no speech. Also ONF does not have information about the technical parameters of broadcasting, added a representative of the organization. “In modern conditions, when any infrastructure is vulnerable, satellite broadcasting is the most acceptable option,” he said.

The Ministry of Digital Development does not have the technical details of the implementation of the Russkiy Mir satellite television project, but it always supports new initiatives related to the digitalization of all subjects of the Russian Federation, a representative of the department said. “This project will bridge the gap associated with federal television broadcasting and provide the opportunity for residents of new regions to receive the same information as in the rest of Russia,” he said.

As follows from the information on the Russkiy Mir website, the services of this operator will be provided to end subscribers free of charge. “In order to get an individual kit, you need to apply to the local administration with a relevant application,” the Donpress newspaper said in a statement. The representative of the ONF emphasized that the regional branches of the movement help local administrations to attract volunteers to install equipment. The ONF considers it important to ensure access for residents of new regions of Russia to federal television broadcasting, the interlocutor in the movement added.

The founder of Russkiy Mir is a company of the same name registered in Lugansk, follows from the data of the Nic.ru domain registrar, as well as from SPARK data. Its founder, in turn, was Alina Panova. The profile of the Russkiy Mir is activities in the field of television broadcasting. If a company in Russia plans to operate as a satellite operator, it must obtain a broadcasting license, Mikhail Silin, Vice President of the Russian Cable Television Association, draws attention. At the same time, only four satellite television operators are known on the Russian market – Tricolor TV,NTV plus”, “Orion” and TV from MTSadds Elena Krylova, managing partner of the analytical company TMT Consulting.

Such a small number of satellite operators in the Russian Federation is explained by the high cost of a satellite signal, therefore, each operator operating in Russia is interested in covering as much territory as possible, work within one or several small regions is not interesting for such a business, the source in the industry association argues. It is quite possible that the company leases satellite capacity from a major operator, he adds. At the same time, a satellite resource for such a project could be “given away at a discount,” concludes an interlocutor in one of the companies in the satellite TV market.

The launch of Russian satellite television broadcasting in new regions is a natural process, said Alexander Borodai, a State Duma deputy from the United Russia faction. There is a transitional period in these territories, it is clear that the infrastructure will soon adapt, he continued: “Regular cellular communication is starting to work normally there.”

The launch of a project like Russkiy Mir in new territories is “a rather important story,” notes political analyst Yevgeny Minchenko. According to him, during the referendum on the entry of these regions into the Russian Federation at the end of September 2022, Telegram and outdoor advertising billboards were the main communication channels in these territories. “It is clear that now there is a task to fully introduce these territories into the Russian information space, so the launch of this project, in my opinion, is a completely logical story,” the political scientist adds.