CTC MEDIA CAPITAL MARKETS DAY – LONDON. The chances of Russia completing the transition to digital broadcasting in 2015 are looking increasingly remote, according to Anton Kudryashov, CEO of CTC Media, adding that he was expressing a generally held view in the local industry.
Kudryashov said the first DTT multiplex is likely to be fully up and running in 2015/2016 and will not include any CTC Media channels.
However, its two main channels CTC and Domashny would probably seek carriage on the second multiplex, which is likely to launch after 2017.
It will have nine channel slots available and to date 18 channels have applied for carriage.
Kudryashov added that the CTC Media channel DTV will seek carriage on the third multiplex, which he expects would launch after 2020.
ASO can only be completed in Russia after 95% of the population can receive DTT signals.
One of the main stumbling blocks, according to Kudryashov, is the fact that the state is not planning to subsidise set-top boxes.
Russia currently has 19 FTA channels that will have to be made available to viewers on three multiplexes.
