Some Russian OTT platforms may merge or collapse following the end of the coronavirus crisis.
However, according to Vyacheslav Murugov, the general director of the national broadcaster CTC Media, speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Kommersant, others such as more.tv, Premier, Okko and Kinopoisk HD are more likely to pull through as they are parts of large ecosystems and have a more stable economy.
In Murugov’s view, the Russian market is saturated with OTT platforms and many have made their service free during the crisis in order to attract more viewers. They risk losing these viewers once this crisis ends.
Murugov also said that prior to the launch of the Vitrina (‘Showcase’) TV project CTC Media did not have streaming on the internet. Now it has 15 million views a month and is able to effectively monetise its product.
