MTV Russia to close in 2013

MTV Russia is to disappear from the airwaves on June 1 next year, with its place taken over by a new youth, information and entertainment-based channel named Pyatnitsa, broadbandtvnews.com reports.

The news was delivered by Nikolay Kartozia, the head of ProfMedia TV, the operator of the channel in Russia.  Kartozia said that MTV Russia’s audience share has become stuck at around 1.5-2percent, with the channel facing strong competition from the internet and the MTV brand no longer effective.

MTV Russia was launched in 1998 and has been operated by ProfMedia, under licence from Viacom, since 2007.

Commenting on the break-up with the MTV brand, Kartozia said “we have agreed with Viacom on future relations, and according to these agreements all financial and legal details are our trade secrets.”

New channel Pyatnitsa will target viewers aged 25-35, unlike MTV Russia’s demographic, which is 14-34, with a nucleus of 18-24. It will aim to secure an audience share of 4% in three years.