All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK)
The All‑Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (Всероссийская государственная телевизионная и радиовещательная компания), more commonly known as VGTRK, is Russia’s state-run broadcasting giant. It presides over a large mix of media outlets—spanning national, international, regional, and local platforms.
Its television portfolio includes Russia‑1 (the flagship and most-watched channel across Russia), Russia‑24 (a dedicated 24/7 news channel that delivers both national and international coverage), Russia‑K (devoted to cultural programming, arts, and highbrow content), Carousel (a children- and youth-focused channel, co-owned with Channel One), and RTR‑Planeta (an international broadcaster reaching audiences worldwide). VGTRK also operates five national radio stations—Radio Rossii, Mayak, Kultura, Vesti FM, and Yunost—alongside an extensive network of roughly 80–90 regional TV and radio outlets, making it the largest media corporation in Russia
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
Ownership and governance
VGTRK is a federal state unitary enterprise, wholly owned by the Russian government.
Oleg Dobrodeev has been at the helm of the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) since 2000, making him one of the longest-serving media executives in contemporary Russia. A career journalist and media manager, he rose to prominence in the late Soviet and early post-Soviet years, having co-founded the independent broadcaster NTV in the 1990s before moving into state media. Dobrodeev has been widely regarded as a loyal steward of government messaging, ensuring that VGTRK functions as both a cultural institution and a key instrument of state propaganda at home and abroad.
Source of funding and budget
VGTRK’s financial lifeline has always been the federal budget, with state subsidies covering the bulk of its operating costs. In the 2020 draft budget, the Ministry of Finance allocated RUB 24.2 billion (approximately US$ 336 million), raised to RUB 27.3 billion (US$ 369 million) in 2021. Between 2021 and 2024, cumulative transfers from the federal treasury amounted to some RUB 107 billion, equivalent to around US$ 1 billion at 2022 exchange rates.
The Russian federal budget for state media overall was set for roughly RUB 137-139 billion for 2024, with VGTRK’s subsidy planned at RUB 24.2–24.3 billion. This was a reduction from earlier projections. In December 2024, Russia did announce a sharp increase in state media funding for 2025, raising the total to RUB 139.6 billion. VGTRK was assigned RUB 22.4 billion for 2025, lower than in 2024, and about RUB 3.4 billion below some earlier forecasts.
Total state media spending is projected at RUB 96.6–97.7 billion for 2026 and RUB 96.6–98.5 billion in 2027, though the exact VGTRK share has not been specified yet.
Editorial independence
VGTRK has long been criticized for serving as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin. Its international channel, RTR-Planeta, has been suspended or banned in multiple countries, including Lithuania in 2018, for “inciting discord” and spreading biased information.
Former employees report that coverage decisions are frequently subject to direct guidance from government officials. Unlike true public broadcasters, VGTRK lacks internal statutes or independent oversight bodies to safeguard editorial independence. Its programming consistently aligns with state narratives, both domestically and abroad.
There is no internal statute or independent assessment and oversight mechanism in place to validate the editorial independence of the VGTRK’s media outlets.
August 2025