Russian Media Industry News

Russian news agency «Interfax» and LexisNexis announced about their agreement to co-operate on the Russian market. Users of Interfax’s «System of Complex Analysis of News» (SCAN) will be able to access the full LexisNexis database. SCAN was introduced at the end of 2007 for a monthly fee of RUR 10.000 (about EUR 295).

According to an expert panel of CNews, advertising revenues of Russian internet companies reached a new high of USD 399.8 million in 2007. The bulk of the revenues comes from banner advertising (USD 206.9 million). The top 3 companies in terms of advertising revenue are Yandex (USD 167 million), RBK (USD 88 million) and Rambler (USD 65 million), all pure Russian players. Google comes in at #6 with USD 10 million.

Source: Kommersant

Independent Media Sanoma Magazines acquired entertainment portal «Webpark» for an undisclosed amount. Market experts put a valuation cap at USD 400 million for the portal.

Source: Kommersant

RosBusinessConsulting (RBC) acquired a 51% share in online music shop fidel.ru with an option to increase the share to 75% over the next three years. The amount of the deal, including guaranteed investments, is USD 8.5 million. The online shop will be managed by «Media Mir», a subsidiary of RBC. Fidel.ru is one of the few Russian online resources selling legal multimedia content. It has direct licensing agreements with the major labels.

Source: RBK-Daily, Vedomosti

Gazprom-Media, the media holding of Russia’s natural gas empire Gazprom, is said to be the most likely candidate to take over RuTube, a Russian YouTube clone. RuTube’s producer Askar Tuganbaev confirmed that he is in talks with several interested parties, one of them Gazprom-Media.

Microsoft Russia launched MSN Russia, the Russian version of it’s news portal. 80% of the site’s content will be delivered by correpondents of «Kommersant», Russia’s biggest business daily. Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

«Russian Business», Independent Media’s new business portal (in closed beta-testing phase) has lost it’s chief editor Elmar Murtazaev (former chief editor of «Kompaniya» business magazine) and deputy chief editor Vladislav Vdovin (former deputy chief editor of «Smart Money»). «Russian Business» was positioned as the «killer» of the popular Russian business and finance portal rbc.ru, part of «RosBusinessConsulting» media group.

Independent Media plans to open an internet television studio to support the online versions of it’s own magazines, as well as provide content for rb.ru, a business information portal to launch in August.

One of Russia’s biggest internet players, Rambler Media, announced it’s 2006 preliminary financial results today. According to the release, group revenue from continuing operations grew 64.5% to USD 30.6 million. Internet revenue is up 91% on a year on year basis to USD 28.3 million, which does not come as a surprise taking into account the booming internet market.

Russian business daily «Vedomosti» announced that it will publish articles on their website before they go into print. Journalist of the newspaper will write both for the on-line and print version.