MTV Russia will stop airing in mid-2013 due to falling ratings, the holding company that controls the music channel has confirmed.
"It's true, as of June 1, 2013, MTV will be replaced by a new entertainment channel for young people called 'Pyatnitsa' [Friday]," ProfMedia president Nikolai Kartozia told Kommersant in an interview published Tuesday.
Unidentified sources had predicted the station's closure in a report that appeared in the Vedomosti business daily Dec. 6.
Kartozia explained the decision to close the station by saying that MTV Russia had ceased to be "the music channel that we all once loved."
MTV Russia's ratings have dropped off because of the growing popularity of listening to music online, he said, adding that the channel "is no longer effective."
MTV Russia, which started airing in 1998, is among the 20 most popular television channels in the country, according to TNS analysts.
ProfMedia bought MTV Russia in 2007.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
