Russia’s leading OTT platform ivi has begun to restore some linear TV channels to its offer.
Kommersant reports that they include services operated by CTC Media (CTC, Domashny and CTC Love) and National Media Group – NMG (Ren TV and Channel Five).
It adds that other channels from the integrated service Vitrina TV, including Channel One and VGTRK, will soon also be restored to ivi.
The OTT platform ivi added linear channels to its offer in late May, working in partnership with Rostelecom. However, some of the leading ones were quickly withdrawn amid protests that ivi had not concluded agreements directly with the channels and was charging for them.
Rostelecom is no longer partnering with ivi in the distribution of linear channels.
Significantly, ivi is not the only OTT service in Russia to distribute linear channels. Megogo has been doing so for a number of years and currently offers its viewers around 200.
