Russia to Launch 24-Hour Spanish TV Satellite Channel in Addition to Existing English and Arabic

Russia to Launch 24-Hour Spanish TV Satellite Channel in Addition to Existing English and Arabic

NEW YORK, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Russia is launching the new foreign- language TV Channel - RUSIA HOY. The Spanish channel will complement its flagship English Channel RUSSIA TODAY and Arabic RUSIYA AL-YAUM.

"We are proud to bring Russia Today to America and to the greater English, Arabic and soon, the Spanish-speaking worlds," said Sergey Frolov, Director General of the parent company TV-Novosti. "We will not only bring them the truth about our fast moving country, we will bring them underreported stories, especially news from Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia."

The announcement was made at the presentation of RUSSIA TODAY and RUSIYA AL-YAUM, the 24-hour news, business, sports and entertainment channels at a gala reception in New York. According to Mr. Frolov, the third channel would be added to Novosti's newscast lineup in 2008. Like the already operating channels RUSIA HOY will broadcast from Moscow headquarters via satellites and will operate 24/7. RUSIA HOY will provide the same variety of content as its sister channels. Further details, said Mr. Frolov, will be announced to the public later this year.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russia Today Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan were among the dignitaries toasting the channels at the event, held at the UN Plaza Millennium Hotel. Governor George Pataki, leader of the Palestinian Autonomy Mahmoud Abbas, along with a dozen ministers of foreign affairs, more than 30 foreign ambassadors to the UN, business and media leaders, journalists from more than 90 media outlets. Mr. Lavrov's presence is notable in particular, as never before in Russian or Soviet history has a government official of this level presented any Russian media organization abroad.

According to Russian foreign minister, the channels, which are the work of 'young dedicated team of professionals', will find the way to viewers abroad. Sergey Frolov noted that both existing channels are accessible by almost 400 million people in Europe, Greater Middle East and North America and announced that since early September Russia Today has been made available to millions of Time Warner Cable customers in the New York-Tri-state area on Channel 135.

Speaking about the editorial policy of RUSSIA TODAY its Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan stressed that her team makes sure 'every important story from Russia - be it corruption, a murder of a well-known journalist or successes like winning the Olympic bid or Chechnya's gradual return to normal life' is covered.

"We welcome your advice, hope you start - or continue -- watching Russia Today and believe you'll appreciate the opportunity to get a look at the world from a different perspective'- she concluded, promising 'not to fail the viewers' expectations'.

About Russia Today and Rusiya al-Yaum:

Russia Today is the first 24/7 English-language news channel to present the Russian point of view on events happening in Russia and around the globe. The channel was established in April 2005 by the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization TV-Novosti. Rusiya al-Yaum - a sister channel in Arabic joined in May 2007.

Around the clock, RT and Rusiya al-Yaum provide viewers with breaking news, stories on politics, business, and public affairs. Millions of viewers switch on to both channels to learn what other media are not likely to have. Best news reports, documentaries, feature stories and other programs can be viewed at YouTube.com.

More than 1500 Russian and foreign TV professionals - correspondents, anchors, presenters, producers, translators, cameramen, editors, directors - form the team that keep the channels moving.

Russia Today and Rusiya al-Yaum correspondents report from Russia's regions, the countries of the former Soviet Union, Europe, the US and the Middle East. The channels have bureaus in Kiev, Tbilisi, London, Paris, Washington, New York, Jerusalem, Cairo, Gaza, West Bank, Beirut, and Baghdad. Expanding the number of bureaus in other regions of the world is the work in progress.

For more information visit http://www.rttv.ru/

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Source: RusInfoService

CONTACT: Dmitri Klimentov of RusInfoService, +1-914-525-6058; or Molly
Conroy, Brown Lloyd James, +1-212-486-7070

Web site: http://www.rttv.ru/

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Profile: International Entertainment