The Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has published a list of who will sell advertising for the country’s top 15 TV channels for the forthcoming year.
According to Kommersant, the body will continue do so on an annual basis in order to monitor the implementation of amended advertising legislation. This is designed to limit the market share of any ad sales company to 35% and will cut back on the dominance to date of Video International (VI).
FAS estimates put VI’s market share in the last two years at 69-71%, while its main rival Gazprom-Media/Alcazar claimed 29-30%. This year, VI will still continue to serve 13 federal channels, while from 2011 it will still list Channel One, Russia’s leading broadcaster, among its clients.
In assessing the market, FAS had problems in determining the ad revenues of Ren TV, another major station.
