Free federal channels of Russia

Television is the most important media for Russia. Residents of the country are accustomed to the fact that broadcasting of television programs is free, and with the advent of paid channels began to worry - they will not be deprived of the usual content. The government protects the rights of the population and creates a list of federal channels, which in any case should be demonstrated without charging a fee.

Television in Russia

Regular television broadcasting in the USSR began in 1939. At first it covered only the capital region, but in 1951 the Central Television Studio was created, which provided the first program with the teleproduct. After 5 years, the second channel appears, and from 1965 the studio for the creation of training programs begins to operate. Gradually, the number of editions is growing, new formats appear, not only of informational character, but also entertaining, for example, KVN, Song of the Year. Initially, television was generally available to all owners of TV sets. Therefore, the idea of paying for channels did not even arise among the inhabitants of the Soviet Union. Free federal TV channels were distributed to all corners of a huge country, and only with the transition to a market economy the situation begins to change. In 1988, the first commercial television company in Nizhny Novgorod broadcasts. Gradually, this process swept the whole country.

Social functions of television

Television is the most mass medium of information transmission, it is generally available, has a high ability to influence the viewer. This leads to the fact that the TV carries a large social burden. The main function of television is information. The first federal channel has the largest coverage of the population in the country, therefore it has the ability to quickly convey information to almost every resident. It was television that for a long time was the most important source of information for people. Today this competition is contested by the Internet, but so far its penetration and coverage has not reached 100%, so the leadership of TV is preserved. Also, TV broadcasting performs such functions as cultural, educational, entertaining, ideological, integrative and educational. Such polyfunctionality makes television highly demanded and necessary for the state and society. Therefore, it can not be paid, as this would cause great social tension. But some television content can be the subject of profit. The need for self-reliance forces TV companies to think about selling their product.

Pay and free TV

Throughout the world, television begins its history with free broadcasting. In its development, money is invested by the state, which understands its high social significance. Federal TV channels distribute their broadcasting for free, and only in the 1970s does the idea of pay-TV appear. The first commercial television company appeared in the United States in 1973. After 7 years, the same channels appear in Western Europe. In Russia, the first broadcaster with paid broadcasting - TV "Kosmos" - appears in 1991. The problem of paid and free television increases with the development of cable and satellite networks in the late 90s.

The legislative framework

In 1997, Russia adopted a federal law on television broadcasting, which fixes the universal availability of television channels. However, nothing was said about the payment for receiving television programs in the law. Gradually, in broadcasting cable and satellite companies, free federal channels were crowded with paid content. This led to the fact that some television companies began to charge for providing access to federal channels, which any TV owner could watch for free. So, the company "Tricolor", federal channels in the package which were paid along with other channels, created a precedent and limited access to the programs of federal television companies. A wide response forced the government to enact supplements to the law that guaranteed human rights for free access to television. The Ministry of Communications made a decision on introducing amendments to the Law "On Mass Media and Television Broadcasting", in which a list of free channels was voiced to ensure citizens' rights.

Guaranteed list of free channels

September 4, 2015, the Ministry of Communications has approved a new list of federal channels. All operators must provide them for viewing free of charge. This list included 20 channels, and this was the second multiplex connected in Russia. Entering the third multiplex due to economic problems in the country is postponed until 2018, it will have 10 more free channels. Today the following channels can be watched free of charge in all the networks of Russia: Channel One, VGTRK Package (Russia 1, 2, Russia K, Russia 24, NTV), Public Television of Russia, Karusel Children's Channel, TV-CENTER, Ren-TV, SPAS, STS, "Domashniy" channel, TV-3, SPORT-PLUS, "Zvezda", "Mir", TNT and the musical channel MUZ-TV. Channels included in the list belong to different owners and are distributed throughout the country.

Free VGTRK channels

The All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company is the owner of the package, including federal channels of Russia: Match, Russia 1, Russia K and Russia 24. The media holding was established in 1990, the main founder was the government of the Russian Federation. Channel "Russia 1" covers more than 98% of the Russian population. Here there are socio-political, information and entertainment programs of our own production, the brand name of the channel is the "Vesti" program, which has one of the highest ratings in the country. "Match" was created on the basis of the former channel "Russia-Sport" and is completely given to coverage of sports events. The "Culture" channel is the only channel about cultural events, absolutely free from advertising.

Free channels Gazprom-Media

The package of the media holding Gazprom-Media includes the federal channels NTV, TNT, TV-3, Sport Plus. The audience of the holding's channels is about 90 million people. NTV is positioned as a channel for thinking people with an active lifestyle. There are programs on it that cover important events in the country and the world. NTV produces a large volume of various programs for a wide audience: "Housing issue", "Evening TV", "Special Reporter". The TNT channel is positioned as a fashionable and courageous channel for positive and active young people. TV-3 is an entertainment channel, with an emphasis on mysticism and mystery. The special content of the channel is its own programs on the themes of esotericism, magic, mysticism. "Sport Plus" is a sports channel dedicated to sports events, broadcasts and reviews.

Free channels of "STS-Media"

The content company "STS-Media" appeared in 1989, on the television market it is published in 1996. Today, the holding company controls the federal channels STS, Domashniy and Muz-TV. STS is positioned as an entertainment channel for family viewing, there is no politics and boring information, but only content for leisure. The main audience of the STS is youth, the coverage of the channel is about 80% of the audience in Russia. The channel "Home", as is clear from the title, is intended for a family audience, most of all for housewives. For them, special content is created - programs about fashion, cooking, children, secular news. The first music TV - this is how Muz-TV is positioned - it's a channel for a young audience that watches TV in the background.

Free channels of the National Media Group

The national media group appeared on the Russian market in 2008, through a number of mergers and acquisitions a serious holding was formed, which manages federal channels: Channel One, Ren-TV, Channel Five. The most popular in the country The First Channel has the largest coverage and high ratings. The former positions itself as a "channel for all" and offers a very diverse program for people with different interests. Ren-TV is a channel with a fuzzy positioning, it offers various programs of its own production, including serials. The fifth channel, which grew out of the Leningrad television, presents itself as a quality channel for smart people. Here, special attention is paid to its own information and analytical policy and the creation of documentary films.

Self-service free channels

Also in the package of free federal channels, several independent channels were hit. These are the federal channels "TV Center", "Mir", "Public Television of Russia", "Spas", "Zvezda", "Carousel". With the exception of "TV Center", all channels have a social focus. "Carousel" is a state project for children and youth. "Spas" was established by the Russian Orthodox Church and highlights its activities. "Mir" was established to tell about news and events in the Commonwealth of Independent States. "Public Television of Russia" was established in 2013 to discuss acute social problems, for the development of civil society. "Zvezda" is a channel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, is called upon to assist in patriotic education of youth and talk about news in the army sphere. "TV Center" is a channel of the government of Moscow, it tells about the city news.