President Putin has approved amendments to Russia’s communication and media laws.
According to Comnews, they relate to the 20 TV channels carried by the first and second DTT multiplexes and require them to be distributed free of charge in all environments.
Furthermore, operators will not be able to change their content and insert advertising in the channels.
Industry reaction to the changes has been mixed, with some expressing fears they will impact negatively on regional channels, as well as cable and DTH operators.
Aside from potentially losing revenues, the latter will also be required to invest heavily by connecting to the infrastructure of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS).