MTG’s Raduga TV to Close Down in Russia

STOCKHOLM: The Russian digital satellite TV platform Raduga TV will stop its broadcasting services on December 5, as it has not been granted the required broadcasting license from the local media regulator.

Raduga TV launched in February 2009, offering a wide range of Russian and international channels all across Russia. MTG has owned 50 percent of Raduga Holdings, the principal owner of DalGeoCom, which operates Raduga TV, since February 2010. MTG will, however, launch five new HD channels in 2015 through Viasat Russia.

Irina Gofman, the executive VP and CEO of Russia and CIS and pay-TV emerging markets at MTG, said: “This has been a very difficult decision taken with the other shareholder, given the impact it will have on employees, customers, suppliers and all of the other stakeholders of the business. Over the past year, Raduga has worked very hard exploring all options for obtaining the right license, which despite their efforts has not been granted. We therefore have no choice but to close down the operations. We are working hard to move our subscribers to another satellite operator and will make an announcement by December 6.

“The decision does not affect our successful pay-TV channel business Viasat, were we will launch five new HD channels in 2015. Viasat offers 15 channels in Russia, five of which are among the country’s 20 most popular channels.”