Thematic channels in Russia now have a combined audience share that is greater than that for Channel One, the country’s leading broadcaster.
According to data produced by Mediascope and published in Kommersant, it amounted to an average of 59.8 million a month in the first three quarters of this year, or 86% of the total number of viewers.
Channel One, on the other hand, claimed 59.4 million, with Rossiya 1 in third place with 57.1 million.
However, on an average daily basis Channel One was in top spot with 24 million and thematic channels accounted for 23.7 million.
Significantly, in the average monthly figure thematic channels were only less popular among viewers aged 55 and over.
Meanwhile, according to the Russian Association of Communication Agencies (AKAR), the ad revenues of thematic channels in the first three quarters of this year amounted to R3.5 billion (€50.3 million), which was only 3% of total TV ad spend.
