Television in Russia

Beginning

In December 2005, a project was launched to create a digital television network in the Republic of Mordovia, where the DVB-T standard will be utilised. The project objective was to ensure for the population, the possibility of receiving a large (up to 10) number of TV channels and several radio stations in the stereo broadcasting mode and in the digital DVB-T standard. The project was implemented by OJSC "Volga Telecom" (a subsidiary of OJSC "Sviazinvest") with support from the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communication of Russia, the Ministry of Culture, the National Association of TV Broadcasters and administration of the Republic of Mordovia.^[7]

Different alternatives were considered in the process of preparing proposals on shifting the country to digital broadcasting (thematic discussions began in the early 2000s), but the Ministry of IT and Communication decided to focus solely on terrestrial broadcasting as the method of digital TV implementation.^[8] In Russia, the first legal act to set the standards for the digital transition was the Government Resolution No. 1700-r of 29 November 2007, which approved a Concept Paper for the Development of TV and Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation in 2008–2015. This document was elaborated by the high-level Governmental Commission on Development of TV and Radio Broadcasting originally headed by Dmitry Medvedev in his capacity as first vice-chair of the government.^[9]

The transition of terrestrial TV from analogue into digital format (in DVB-T standard) had been announced as a government priority in Russia and identified in the document Concept of TV Broadcasting Development in the Russian Federation within 2008–2015. The main positive factor in the introduction of terrestrial TV broadcasting in the DVB-T standard, according to the opinion of market players, has been the approval of a TV broadcasting development framework in the Russian Federation for 2008–2015 (approved by resolution of the Government # 1700-p, dated 29 November 2007).^[10]

The total investment in the transition of terrestrial TV from analogue to digital format is expected to be Euro 10 billion during the period 2008–2015.^{[citation needed]}

The main factors which have a high positive influence upon the rates of terrestrial DTV introduction tend to be general political and macroeconomic factors. Commercial factors do not have a significant influence upon rates of introduction of digital standards for terrestrial broadcasting. Cable television would gain the largest financial benefits from the introduction of digital television.^{[citation needed]}

On 10 May during Sviaz-Expocomm – 2011, the 23rd International Exhibition of Information Technologies and Communication Services in Moscow, Russia's national telecommunications operator Svyazinvest, together with Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network signed a cooperation agreement to organize the terrestrial transmission of digital content to the RRBN transmitters across the country, thus enabling the broadcasting of eight federal TV channels (Channel One, Russia 1, Russia 24, Russia 2, Russia K, Channel 5, NTV, Karusel) and one local channel, the latter to be transmitted as a "multiplex" channel on one of the main digital channels.^[11]

In June 2011 DVB-T2 tests got under way in Moscow. In July 2011 The Russian government commission on the development of TV and radio broadcasting, has supported the Communications and Mass Media Ministry's suggestion to roll out DVB-T2 test zones, the government's press service has announced.^[12]

In September 2011 a governmental commission had approved the use of the DVB-T2 standard for the development of digital terrestrial TV in Russia, as proposed by the Ministry of Communications. The digital terrestrial TV network was being tested out in the Tver Oblast. It was planned that new regional networks will be deployed under the DVB-T2 standard and existing DVB-T networks will be upgraded to the new standard^[13]

Digital switchover

It took Russia 10 years to move from analogue to digital broadcasting. The Digital Switchover (DSO) was completed in late 2019.^[14][15] On December 3, 2009, the Russian Government approved the federal target programme "Development of TV and Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation in 2009-2018".^[16] The main objective of the programme was to provide the population of the Russian Federation with free-to-air multichannel digital TV and radio broadcasting.^[17]

Before 2010 almost half of Russia's population, 44%, could watch no more than four channels. There was no room left for development of analogue broadcasting.^[18] Authorities have envisaged TV multiplexes in 2009. The list of channels in the first of the two of them was approved by a decree of the President of Russia.^[19][20]

Over a period of 10 years, about 100 million TV-sets and about 20 million digital set-top boxes were sold. This had set the stage for the analogue switch-off (ASO). On November 29, 2018, the Russian government approved the ASO roadmap.^[21] The federal target programme included modernizing the whole structure of terrestrial broadcasting. It is considered the biggest programme of digital TV development in the world.^[22][23]

In December 2018, the pilot region, the Tver Region, phased out analogue broadcasting of 20 federal TV channels.^[24] In 2019, Russia switched off analogue TV broadcasting in four stages: February 11 (8 regions), April 15 (20 regions), June 3 (36 regions) and October 14 (21 regions).^[25]

Russia was the first BRICS country to complete the ASO.^[26] Preparation for each stage of the ASO included a number of activities:

1. Informing the population, both through federal and regional media.^[27]

2. Placing information materials in post offices, social protection centres, retail appliances and electronics stores.

3. Door-to-door activities in all localities of the Russian Federation.^[28]

4. Attracting volunteers to assist the population in setting up equipment for receiving DTT. 70,000 volunteers, 30,000 social workers and 50,000 Russian Post employees participated in the process.^{[29][30][31][32]}

5. Creating the Digital Switchover Task Force with representatives of the Russian government, regional authorities and all organizations involved.

6. Monitoring the cost of the TV reception equipment in retail stores.

7. Carrying out inspection of сommunity antenna TV systems for DTT broadcasting in apartment buildings and, if necessary, repairing and upgrading them.^[33]

8. Developing mechanisms and conditions for providing the population living outside the DTT coverage area with satellite equipment at a reduced price.

9. Providing targeted assistance for vulnerable and/or low-income citizens.^[34]

A special digital terrestrial TV hotline has been opened in the run-up to the ASO. Operators consulted viewers on buying up-to-date DVB-T2 equipment and adjusting it to their conditions. Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network staff tested equipment from the retail and informed viewers through the hotline about the best choices.^[35] 78 DTT Consultation Centers operated in administrative centers of Russian regions.^[36]

100% of the Russian population have got the guaranteed public access to 20 must-carry public TV channels and three radio stations, 98,4% of them — through DTT.^[37][38]

To complete the Digital Switchover RTRN collaborated with IT software manufacturers Nevion^[39] and Progira.^[40]

More than 11,000 analogue TV transmitters were put out of operation.^[41] The DTT transition has laid the foundations for the development of new services (HD, UHD,^[42][43] HbbTV and so on).^{[44][45][46][47][48][49]}

Participation in the national program "Digital Economy of the Russian Federation"^[50] and new telecom services implementation are RTRN's main current objectives.

RTRN has successfully tested the main standards of digital broadcasting including DRM.^[51][52]

Terrestrial Nationwide Digital Broadcasting Program

State-owned

Private

Discontinued

NTV-Plus

Tricolor