Closer ties between Russia and China have resulted in eye-catching levels of cooperation between their respective TV industries.
Just this week there have been two important developments to underline the point. The first, a content exchange agreement between two of Russia’s leading commercial broadcasters – National Media Group (NMG) and CTC Media – and the Chinese media holding Huace Film & TV, was signed at the Third China-Russia Media Forum in Moscow.
The second, announcing the launch of what will be the first-ever Russian TV channel aimed solely at Chinese viewers, was also signed in Moscow, in the presence of the presidents of Russia and China, by Russia’s First Channel and China’s Central Television.
Significantly, the Second Media Forum, which was held in Beijing in March 2016, also marked the start of the Russia-China 2016-17 Years of Media. More recently, the two countries held their first-ever joint Internet Media Forum in the Chinese city of Guangzhou last October.
All this, and indeed much more, is underpinned by China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative, which aims to boost trade and stimulate growth, in Asia and beyond, principally through large infrastructure projects. A major international conference held in Beijing this May, entitled the Belt and Road Forum, was described by some critics as paving the way for a Chinese New World Order.
Given Russia’s increasingly close relationship with China, it should come as no surprise that the two countries are developing such strong ties in the broadcasting sphere. However, that does not mean to say Russia is turning its back on Western media.
Despite introducing foreign ownership limits on broadcasters and (more recently) OTT services, most international companies, with the notable exception of Modern Times Group (MTG), that were present before they came into effect still continue to operate in the country. They include Netflix, which has yet to truly make its mark in a highly competitive market but is eventually likely to do so.
