Russian channels to be broadcast in Georgia

By Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

Silknet, a cable TV company in Georgia, has recently started offering Russian channels to consumers. Broadcasting of Russian channels was stopped in 1999, as decided by Mikheil Saakashvili, the head of President Shevardnadze’s Union of Georgian Citizens. President Saakashvili removed all Russian channels from cable networks during the five-day war in 2008. Cable companies started resuming broadcasting Russian channels after the 2012 parliamentary polls.

Silknet, a company of one of Georgia’s most successful businessmen, Georgy Ramishvili, a friend of Mikheil Saakashvili, was broadcasting channel Kultura and started broadcasting Okhota i Rybalka, Usadba, Russky Extreme, Karusel and almost all Russian music channels. A few weeks ago, it launched Russia 24, Russia Today, Channel One, RTR Planeta, TVTs, Dozhd. Only NTV is not broadcast.

CNN and BBC are parts of the cheapest channel packages Silknet offers. Channel One is the most expensive. It is noteworthy that Georgia has emotional ties with Russia and knowledge of the Russian language makes its channels more popular.

By Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik KavkazaSilknet, a cable TV company in Georgia, has recently started offering Russian channels to consumers. Broadcasting of Russian channels was stopped in 1999, as decided by Mikheil Saakashvili, the head of President Shevardnadze’s Union of Georgian Citizens. President Saakashvili removed all Russian channels from cable networks during the five-day war in 2008. Cable companies started renewing broadcast of Russian channels after the 2012 parliamentary polls.Silknet, a company of one of Georgia’s most successful businessmen Georgy Ramishvili, a friend of Mikheil Saakashvili, was broadcasting channel Kultura and started broadcasting Okhota i Rybalka, Usadba, Russky Extreme, Karusel and almost all Russian music channels. A few weeks ago, it launched Russia 24, Russia Today, Channel One, RTR Planeta, TVTs, Dozhd. Only NTV is not broadcasted.CNN and BBC part of the cheapest channel packages Silknet offers. Channel One is the most expensive. It is noteworthy that Georgia has emotional ties with Russia and knowledge of the Russian language makes its channels more popula