The All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (Всероссийская государственная телевизионная и радиовещательная компания), commonly referred to as VGTRK, is a state-run broadcasting entity that oversees a diverse portfolio of television and radio channels, encompassing both nationwide and international offerings, as well as regional and local content. The company’s portfolio of television channels includes Russia-1, the primary and most popular channel in Russia; Russia-24, an all-news channel; Russia-K, which specializes in cultural programming; Carousel (co-owned with Channel One) with a focus on children’s programs; and the international channel RTR Planeta. Additionally, the company operates five radio channels and a network of approximately 80 regional channels.
Media assets
Television: National- Russia-1 (Россия-1), Russia-24 (Россия-24), Russia-K (Россия-К), Carousel (Карусель), RTR-Planeta (РТР-планета); Region-focused: 90 regional TV channels (including Moscow 24); Euronews on Russian language (Euronews на Русском языке)
Radio: Radio Kultura, Radio Mayak, Radio Rossii, Radio Yunost, Vesti FM
News portal: Vesti.ru
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
VGTRK is a company that is wholly owned by the Russian government, as evidenced by media reports, academic studies and our own research.
Source of funding and budget
The majority of VGTRK’s financing is derived from the federal budget. In the 2020 budget proposal from the Russian Ministry of Finance, the state allocation planned for VGTRK was a total of RUB 24.2bn (equivalent to US$ 336m). According to media reports, VGTRK saw an increase in its budget, which reached RUB 27.3bn (US$ 369m). In the period between 2021 and 2024, VGTRK will have received a total of RUB 107bn (equivalent to US$1bn at the current prices in March 2022).
The revenue of VGTRK has been on a downward trajectory in recent years, with the company’s 2022 revenue of RUB 23.5bn (US$ 293m) representing the lowest figure recorded in the last ten years, according to research from the Media and Journalism Research Center. The company’s net profit has also declined. The company concluded the 2022 financial year with a net loss of RUB 1.4bn (equivalent to US$ 17.5m), representing a decline from the RUB 1.5bn net profit (US$ 18.7m) recorded in 2021. In 2022, VGTRK’s capital was valued at RUB 20bn (US$ 250m).
Editorial independence
VGTRK plays a pivotal role in disseminating Kremlin-aligned propaganda. RTR Planeta, the international channel of the group, has received criticism from numerous governments, who have accused the station of acting as a propaganda outlet for the Russian government. In 2018, the Lithuanian regulator suspended the channel for “inciting discord” and “spreading biased information.” Russian experts and journalists have indicated that VGTRK’s editorial coverage is influenced by directives from the Russian government. Former employees of the broadcaster who left their jobs have described instances where Kremlin officials provided guidance to the broadcaster’s management on how to cover various events.
There is no internal statute or independent assessment and oversight mechanism in place to validate the editorial independence of the VGTRK’s media outlets.
September 2024