Russian Federation

[RU] Concept Paper to Develop Broadcasting Through 2015

IRIS 2005-8:1/30

Andrei Richter

Comenius University (Bratislava)

In July 2005, the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communications of Russia announced a Concept Paper on the Development of Broadcasting for the period 2006-2015. The Concept Paper, developed by the Department of Mass Communications of the Ministry, consists of two main parts: legal and technical.

The Concept Paper points to the lack of legal basis for broadcasting in Russia and suggests that the gap should be filled by drafting and adopting federal laws on public broadcasting, on a federal licensing commission, and on cable TV.

The technical side of the Concept Paper is focused on the state of broadcasting in Russia and measures to modernize it, with the focus on the transition to digital broadcasting (on 25 May 2004 the Government approved a resolution to adopt European DVB standard for digital television in Russia). The Concept Paper suggests concrete benchmarks in this transition, e.g. to stop issuing licenses for analogue broadcasting in 2008, stop sale and production of TV sets without digital decoders by 2010, etc.

The cost of transition to digital broadcasting is evaluated in the document at RUB 30,85 billion, or roughly EUR 900 million to be drawn from the federal and local budgets and private investments.

At present the Concept Paper is being reviewed by other ministries and major broadcasters. It is foreseen that the Government will adopt a Programme to implement targets set in the paper.