Russian OTT services may soon be subjected to foreign ownership limits.
Kommersant reports that proposals from leading telecom operators and media holdings, represented by a body named the Media Communications Union (MKS), may also see such OTT services banned from participating in electoral campaigns.
The MKS has put forward a series of proposals that include reducing the permitted level of foreign ownership is such services, which include the market leaders Ivi, Okko and Megogo, to 20% by March 1, 2017.
This will reflect the limit that already applies to other media bodies, including broadcasters, in Russia.
Work on a draft law regulating online video sharing has beeen ongoing for six months.
In that time, its developers have already abadoned the idea of requiring online video services to broadcast at least 80% of their output in Russian and to ensure at least 30% of the films and TV series they show are produced in Russia.
