Russian TV stations have reacted negatively to a proposal by the Ministry of Culture for them to help fund Russian cinema.
AKTR and RNS report that Alexei Volin, the deputy minister of communications and mass media, said that implementing the proposal could damage national cinema by reducing the volume of purchases, specifically the rights to show movies on TV.
It could also impact negatively on the productions of Russian TV channels.
However, he added that his ministry had so far only listened to the opinions of local TV channels and not heard the official views of internet companies, the owners of online movie services.
Volin also pointed out that locally produced movies financed by the Film Fund have a low share on TV channels.
The Ministry of Culture’s proposal, announced in April, says that broadcasters and online movie services should contribute 0.5% of their income, and cinemas and film distributors 3% of theirs, to support the local film industry.
The total amount collected would amount to R3-4 billion (€40.7-54.2 million) a year.