According to local reports, Russia Today will start broadcasting to Latin America in Spanish from later this year. A joint venture between the Russian public broadcaster RTR (Rossiya) and RAI-Novosti press agency, the station made its debut in December 2005, with start-up costs put at $30 million (€22.04 million). Although available in Russia via the NTV-Plus DTH service, it is aimed principally at a foreign audience and can already be received in the UK and Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. Further expansion into the European Union, along with an Arabic service, is also planned.
