Public Television of Russia (Общественное Телевидение России, OTR) is a Russian television station that began broadcasting in 2013.
Media assets
Television: OTR
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
OTR was established in 2012 by presidential decree, signed by then-President Dmitry Medvedev. The stated goal was to create an independent public service media entity in Russia. However, the station ultimately came under the control of the authorities. According to Russian experts interviewed for this report in March 2023, President Vladimir Putin approves the members of the OTR Supervisory Board and the station’s Director General.
Source of funding and budget
OTR is financed through a combination of state budget allocations and public donations. From its inception, the station encountered financial challenges due to the state’s initial reluctance to provide substantial financial backing for the broadcaster. OTR does not publish financial data. According to information from Russian experts corroborated with various media reports, OTR received a state budget allocation of approximately RUB 3bn (US$ 41.6m) in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, OTR received a state budget of RUB 4.9bn and RUB 5.5bn, respectively, according to media reports.
Editorial independence
Despite the initial intention for OTR to operate as an independent public media provider, the government swiftly exerted significant editorial control shortly after its establishment. The opposition is unable to access the station, and to avoid any potential conflicts with the government, OTR is limiting its programming to non-controversial topics. In addition, the station’s actions appear to align with the government’s interests, as evidenced by its coverage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
To date, no domestic statute and no independent assessment or oversight mechanism to validate OTR’s editorial independence has been identified.
September 2024