Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network

Summary

Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRN) (Russian: Российская телевизионная и радиовещательная сеть) is a unitary enterprise created on August 13, 2001, by decree of the president of the Russian Federation.[1] The company is included in the list of Russian strategic enterprises.[2]

Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network
Company typeFederal state unitary enterprise
Founded2001
Headquarters
Moscow
,
Russia
Revenue33.28 billion Russian ruble (2020)
Websitertrs.ru

RTRN operates Russia's digital terrestrial television (DTT) network — the largest operating broadcasting network in the world.[3][4][5][6] It consists of 5040 transmission sites and 10,080 transmitters. Almost 75% out of the 5040 transmission sites were built from scratch.[7][8]

RTRN's DTT services cover 98,4% of the Russian population.[9] RTRN provides terrestrial transmission of 20 must-carry public television channels and three radio stations broadcasting over the territory of the Russian Federation.[10] RTRN also serves other radio and television channels of both all-Russian and regional types distributing the programs of the latter.[11] Multichannel terrestrial radio and television broadcasting in Russia is provided by 78 broadcasting centers functioning as RTRN regional branches.[12] Moscow broadcasting signal reaches the regions through satellite and land communication channels.

RTRN was appointed to execute the deployment of the DTT network in the DVB-T2 standard according to the federal target programme "Development of TV and Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation in 2009-2018".[13][14][15]

RTRN is a member of DVB consortium, and was a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) before withdrawal from the union in February 2022.[16][17][18][19][20]

The Digital Switchover edit

It took RTRN 10 years to move from analogue to digital broadcasting. The Digital Switchover (DSO) was completed in late 2019.[21][22] On December 3, 2009, the Russian Government approved the federal target programme "Development of TV and Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation in 2009-2018".[23] The main objective of the programme was to provide the population of the Russian Federation with free-to-air multichannel digital TV and radio broadcasting.[24]

Before 2010 almost half of Russia's population, 44%, could watch no more than four channels. There was no room left for development of analogue broadcasting.[25] Authorities have envisaged TV multiplexes in 2009. The list of channels in the first of the two of them was approved by a decree of the President of Russia.[26][27]

Over a period of 10 years, about 100 million TV-sets and about 20 million digital set-top boxes were sold. This had set the stage for the analogue switch-off (ASO). On November 29, 2018, the Russian government approved the ASO roadmap.[28] The federal target programme included modernizing the whole structure of terrestrial broadcasting. It is considered the biggest programme of digital TV development in the world.[29][30]

In December 2018, the pilot region, the Tver Region, phased out analogue broadcasting of 20 federal TV channels.[31] In 2019, Russia switched off analogue TV broadcasting in four stages: February 11 (8 regions), April 15 (20 regions), June 3 (36 regions) and October 14 (21 regions).[32]

Russia was the first BRICS country to complete the ASO.[33] Preparation for each stage of the ASO included a number of activities:

1. Informing the population, both through federal and regional media.[34]

2. Placing information materials in post offices, social protection centres, retail appliances and electronics stores.

3. Door-to-door activities in all localities of the Russian Federation.[35]

4. Attracting volunteers to assist the population in setting up equipment for receiving DTT. 70,000 volunteers, 30,000 social workers and 50,000 Russian Post employees participated in the process.[36][37][38][39]

5. Creating the Digital Switchover Task Force with representatives of the Russian government, regional authorities and all organizations involved.

6. Monitoring the cost of the TV reception equipment in retail stores.

7. Carrying out inspection of сommunity antenna TV systems for DTT broadcasting in apartment buildings and, if necessary, repairing and upgrading them.[40]

8. Developing mechanisms and conditions for providing the population living outside the DTT coverage area with satellite equipment at a reduced price.

9. Providing targeted assistance for vulnerable and/or low-income citizens.[41]

A special digital terrestrial TV hotline has been opened in the run-up to the ASO. Operators consulted viewers on buying up-to-date DVB-T2 equipment and adjusting it to their conditions. RTRN staff tested equipment from the retail and informed viewers through the hotline about the best choices.[42] 78 DTT Consultation Centers operated in administrative centers of Russian regions.[43]

100% of the Russian population have got the guaranteed public access to 20 must-carry public TV channels and three radio stations, 98,4% of them — through DTT.[44][45]

To complete the Digital Switchover RTRN collaborated with IT software manufacturers Nevion[46] and Progira.[47]

More than 11,000 analogue TV transmitters were put out of operation.[48] The DTT transition has laid the foundations for the development of new services (HD, UHD,[49][50] HbbTV and so on).[51][52][53][54][55][56]

Participation in the national program "Digital Economy of the Russian Federation"[57] and new telecom services implementation are RTRN's main current objectives.

RTRN has successfully tested the main standards of digital broadcasting including DRM.[58][59]

Unique TV towers edit

The tallest TV tower in RTRN's network is the Ostankino Tower in Moscow. Ostankino was designed by Nikolai Nikitin. It was erected in 1967. Ostankino was built to mark the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It is named after the surrounding Ostankino district of Moscow.[60]

The tower is the tallest free-standing building in Russia and a symbol of Russian broadcasting. It is currently the tallest free-standing structure in Europe and 11th tallest in the world. Between 1967 and 1974, it was the tallest in the world. With 1,771 feet tall (540 m), Ostankino tower is one of the most famous landmarks of Moscow attracting thousands of tourists per year.[61]

The TV tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers (WFGT).[62]

The other concrete structure in RTRN's network is Novorossiysk TV Tower. The tower is used for FM and TV transmission in Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai. It was completed in 1996 and is 261 metres tall.[63]

Saint Petersburg Television Tower is the second-tallest tower after the concrete Ostankino Tower and the tallest lattice tower in Russia, possessing a total height of 326 m (1,070 ft).

It was the first dedicated television tower in the Soviet Union and now is utilized for transmitting for FM-/TV-broadcasting throughout the federal city.

The Saint Petersburg TV Tower ranks as the eleventh-tallest lattice tower in the world, the second-tallest television tower, and the tallest lattice television tower in the whole of the Russian Federation.[64][65][66]

References edit

  1. ^ "Указ Президента РФ от 13.08.2001 N 1031 — Редакция от 29.03.2008 — Контур.Норматив". normativ.kontur.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  2. ^ "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 04.08.2004 г. № 1009". Президент России (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  3. ^ "Путин отметил заслуги коллектива РТРС в создании крупнейшей цифровой телесети мира". ТАСС. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  4. ^ "В России завершили создание крупнейшей в мире системы цифрового телевещания". РИА Новости (in Russian). 22 December 2018. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  5. ^ Chernikov, Andrey (March 2021). "Mission accomplished: Russia's massive analogue switch-off project". DVB Scene. Issue 57: 17.
  6. ^ "Коллективу и ветеранам Российской телевизионной и радиовещательной сети". Президент России (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  7. ^ "Russia completes ASO". Broadband TV News. 2019-10-14. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  8. ^ Russia Company Laws and Regulations Handbook - Strategic Information and Basic Laws (World Business and Investment Library). Lulu.com. 2015. p. 257. ISBN 978-1514509531.
  9. ^ "Russia completes digital broadcasting transition". CommsUpdate. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  10. ^ "Digital TV in Russia: "Tele-radio broadcasting development in the Russian Federation on " - PDF Free Download". docplayer.net. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  11. ^ "Региональные программы в "цифре"". РИА Новости (in Russian). 5 November 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  12. ^ "Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (Federal state unitary enterprise)". eng.rudn.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  13. ^ "Russia completes transition to DVB-T2". Digital TV Europe. 2015-01-23. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  14. ^ "Russia releases DVB-T2 receiver specification". Digital TV News. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  15. ^ "Television and On-Demand Audiovisual Services in the Russian Federation. A report for the European Audiovisual Observatory by J'son & Partners Consulting". European Audiovisual Observatory: 45. October 2011.
  16. ^ "РТРС вошел в международный консорциум DVB Project". moscow.rtrs.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  17. ^ "Российская Телевизионная и Радиовещательная Сеть (РТРС)вступает в Европейский Вещательный Союз (ЕВС). | Телеспутник". old.telesputnik.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  18. ^ Giménez, Jordi J. (2020). "5G for Content Distribution" (PDF). 5G-MAG: 6.
  19. ^ Arcidiacono, Antonio (2020). "Implementing 5G Solutions for the Media Industry and Beyond" (PDF). 5G-MAG: 11.
  20. ^ Vidal, Fernando Nicolás (2022-05-26). "La UER hace efectiva la suspensión indefinida a sus miembros rusos". ESCplus España (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  21. ^ "Russia postpones digital switchover in 21 regions". Digital TV Europe. 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  22. ^ "Началась последняя волна отключения аналогового вещания в РФ". Interfax.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  23. ^ "Russia sets out DTT channel strategy". Broadband TV News. 2009-06-24. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  24. ^ "Alexey Volin Named 16 Points of Television Development Strategy in Russia". Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  25. ^ "Космонавт Скворцов объявил с орбиты о полном переходе России на цифровое телевидение". ТАСС. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  26. ^ "Об общероссийских обязательных общедоступных телеканалах и радиоканалах". pravo.gov.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  27. ^ "Эфирная стройка завершается". www.rspectr.com. 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  28. ^ "Переход на цифровое вещание". Министерство цифрового развития, связи и массовых коммуникаций Российской Федерации (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  29. ^ "Андрей Романченко: Через два года цифровое ТВ войдет в каждый дом". Российская газета (in Russian). 2 August 2016. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  30. ^ Андрей Романченко: "Программа перехода считается самым крупным проектом развития ЦЭТВ в мире", archived from the original on 2021-12-15, retrieved 2021-09-28
  31. ^ "В России отключили аналоговое телевещание". Ведомости (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  32. ^ "Переход на цифровое телевидение". РИА Новости (in Russian). 13 February 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  33. ^ "Россия перешла на цифровое телевизионное вещание". Российская газета (in Russian). 14 October 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  34. ^ "Андрей Романченко: Средний человек смотрит не 100, а всего 7-9 каналов". Российская газета (in Russian). 10 July 2017. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  35. ^ Чебоненко, Михаил, Новая эра: как Россия переходила на цифровое вещание (in Russian), retrieved 2021-09-28
  36. ^ "В России не возникло проблем при переходе на "цифру"". www.cableman.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  37. ^ "Министр цифрового развития и связи назвал Тюменскую область в числе лучших при переходе на "цифру"". Вслух.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  38. ^ "Константин Носков оценил затраты на цифровую телесеть". telecomdaily.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  39. ^ "От платного кабельного советуют отказаться, а ТНВ будет вещать в эфире ОТР — Реальное время". realnoevremya.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  40. ^ "Романченко: Антенна - самая частая причина проблем с цифровым сигналом". Российская газета (in Russian). 26 May 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  41. ^ "Андрей Романченко рассказал, почему полный переход на "цифру" отложили". Российская газета (in Russian). 16 May 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  42. ^ "Виктор Пинчук: РТРС завершил строительство сети вещания первого мультиплекса в 51 регионе РФ". telecomdaily.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  43. ^ "При переходе на цифровое вещание инфраструктуру РТРС необходимо было серьезно модернизировать". www.rspectr.com. 2013-03-27. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  44. ^ "Рабочая встреча с Игорем Щёголевым и Андреем Романченко". Президент России (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  45. ^ Андрей Романченко: "В России самая крупная сеть цифрового телевидения в мире", archived from the original on 2021-12-15, retrieved 2021-09-28
  46. ^ "Russia's RTRN picks Nevion to help transition its terrestrial network to digital". Nevion. 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  47. ^ Ler, Peggy (2018-10-23). "PROGIRA collaborates with Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network". PROGIRA. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  48. ^ "Роскомнадзор: в 2019 году было отключено 11 тыс. аналоговых передатчиков, осталось - 9 тыс. | Телеспутник". www.telesputnik.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  49. ^ "РТРС в тестовом режиме на Москву и область запустила первый мультиплекс в формате HD". www.nat.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  50. ^ Media, Groteck Business. "Lib". lib.broadcasting.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  51. ^ "Broadcasting of second multiplex digital television was launched in Barnaul". Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  52. ^ "Alexey Volin Discussed Development of Digital Television and Radio Broadcasting in Kamchatka". Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  53. ^ "Комиссия по телерадиовещанию решила перевести цифровое ТВ в HDTV". www.comnews.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  54. ^ "РТРС гибридизирует ТВ". www.comnews.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  55. ^ "Будущее в формате ультравысокой четкости от РТРС — Электросвязь" (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  56. ^ "На Ямале заработали 12 станций цифрового эфирного ТВ". Российская газета (in Russian). 9 November 2016. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  57. ^ "Instructions on implementation of Digital Economy of Russian Federation national programme". President of Russia. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  58. ^ "Digital Radio Mondiale | Main Russian Network Operator (RTRN): DRM delivers more for less". Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  59. ^ "Правительство РФ утвердило переход России на европейскую DRM-систему цифрового радиовещания". moscow.rtrs.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  60. ^ "History". tvtower.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  61. ^ "Ostankino TV Tower". Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). 2017-10-31. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  62. ^ "Ostankino TV Tower | World Tower". www.great-towers.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  63. ^ "Роскомнадзор - ФГУП "РТРС" расширяет зону вещания на юге Краснодарского края". 23.rkn.gov.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  64. ^ "Saint Petersburg TV Tower (Saint Petersburg, 1962)". Structurae. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  65. ^ "St. Petersburg TV Tower". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
  66. ^ "Saint Petersburg TV Tower in St Petersburg, Russian Federation". Virtual Globetrotting. 2008-02-19. Retrieved 2021-09-28.

External links edit

  Media related to Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network at Wikimedia Commons

  • Official website (in Russian)