# RTR-Planeta

RTR-Planeta (Rossiyskoe televidenie i radio - Planeta, Russian: PTP-Планета, Российское телевидение и радио — Планета) is the international TV Channel of VGTRK, a state-owned broadcaster in Russia. It is available worldwide via cable and satellite as Россия РТР (Russia RTR) for the CIS countries and the Asia-Pacific region, and as Planeta RTR for other countries, referred to on air as RTR.

## History

On June 30, 2002, VGTRK executive Oleg Dobrodeev announced the creation of RTR-Planeta, aiming at Western Europe and the Middle East with plans to launch in North America by autumn. According to Dobrodeev, RTR-Planeta wasn't "a commercial project", meaning that there would be no commercial advertising "for the time being". The channel launched on July 1, 2002 using the Express-3A satellite. Programming included morning relays of Euronews, RTR's programming, including Vesti's editions, its TV series and movies, as well as some programming from Kultura. The channel was financed by the VGTRK's internal reserves and did not receive funding from the State. Until then, the Russian version of the channel aired with foreign advertising.
In October 2003, the channel started broadcasting in Ukraine, replacing Channel One Russia Worldwide from low-income cable subscriptions (free tiers) in the capital. The new channel obeyed to Ukrainian laws of the time, including advertising laws which forbade advertising of tobacco and alcohol, and hadn't adopted the local content rating system. VGTRK claimed that it had more "favorable conditions" than Channel One on the basic cable packages, much to Channel One's annoyance. The main RTR channel was still broadcast illegally in some areas.
On June 1, 2004, the channel started broadcasting in Moldova replacing the Russia channel, thanks to a new agreement with local company TeleDixi. The Russia channel was in high demand but the switch to RTR-Planeta was necessary because of rights issues. The company ceased carrying RTR-Planeta on June 3, 2005 as it had signed an agreement with STS.
On December 29, 2005, it was known that, from January 1, 2006, 25 Russian channels were going to be removed from cable networks in Tallinn, and among them was RTR-Planeta. Between January 2 and 4, the channel was unavailable in Estonia.
On March 11, 2006, an edition of Formula of Power with the participation of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko was removed from the Russia channel; instead, an interview with the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh was shown. The interview with Yushchenko, however, was shown on RTR-Planeta. On April 15, 2006, it was made available on the basic package of the Ukrainian cable company Volia.
It was reported on December 26, 2009 that Azerbaijani authorities were going to switch off the channel within the country on January 1. The official reason for the move was the shutdown of Russian television channels in order to potentiate the local television industry, however it was also believed that it was also used to silence media coverage of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. On July 10, 2007, the carriage of the channel in Azerbaijan was extended by one month; then on August 20, until the start of September. The channel was turned off on January 1, 2008 in Azerbaijan, due to a lack of an agreement. On January 22, the chairman of the National Council of Azerbaijan on Television and Radio, Nushiravan Maharramov, stated that the broadcasting of the TV channel will be restored if Russia, in exchange, broadcasts one of the Azerbaijani channels in a territory equal in area to Azerbaijan.
On May 29, 2008, the National Television Company of Ukraine expressed its intention to seek deprivation of RTR-Planeta's license due to the broadcast of that year's Eurovision Song Contest held in Serbia, in parallel with the First National Channel, which owns exclusive rights to broadcast it in the country.
On July 1, 2008, based on the version of RTR-Planeta for the CIS countries, the Minsk television company Capital TV launched RTR-Belarus in Belarus. Before this, the country broadcast the Russian version with local advertising and some of its own content.
On July 22, 2008, The National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting warned several Russian channels, including RTR-Planeta, of its intention to assess the legality of their presence on Ukrainian cable networks. On August 8, 2008, carriage stopped in Tbilisi, and the following day, to all of Georgia.
In September 2008, RTR-Planeta began broadcasting in Belarus in the "Premiere" package of Zala, the IPTV service of the operator Beltelecom.
The channel's suspension in Tajikistan was announced on January 21, 2009. VGTRK owed 4,8 million rubles for technical services in Tajikistan, as well as the increased cost in electricity bills. A version for the Baltic states started on February 2, 2009.

## Broadcasting

RTR Planeta is the only provider of Russian-language programming to the Asia-Pacific region covered by the AsiaSat 2 Satellite. To step up the accessibility of its content to viewers RTR Planeta has eagerly embraced new technologies launching in various IPTV, ADSL and other advanced networks.
In October 2009 a separate version of the TV channel to broadcast via the Eutelsat 36A satellite to Ukrainian TV viewers was especially created. This was done because on November 1, 2008 the Ukrainian Television and Radio Broadcasting Council demanded that (Ukrainian) cable operators remove Russian TV channels that did not adopt the Ukrainian legislation from their broadcasting lists. The decision affected, in particular, RTR-Planeta, Channel One and TV Center.
On May 1, 2010, RTR Planeta returned to the Ukrainian cable networks.

### Bans

* Lithuania: In April 2015 RTR Planeta's broadcasts were blocked for three months by Lithuania because of transmitting ‘propagation of violence and instigation of war’. Lithuania's Radio and Television Commission gave the explanation that RTR Planeta was portraying Ukrainian people as enemies of Russia and showing contempt for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
* Latvia: On January 31, 2019 RTR Planeta's broadcasts were blocked for three months in Latvia because of transmitting "propaganda and hate speeches, that were considered encouraging violence". Some of the hate speeches encouraged viewers to hang Ukrainians over their political views. This was the second time the channel received a ban in Latvia, the previous time being in 2016, when the channel was accused of spreading false information.
* European Union: At the end of April 2022 the EU Commission announced, that there will be sanctions against Russian TV channels, broadcasting to Europe via Satellite and Rebroadcasting as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to politico.eu, Rossiya RTR/RTR Planeta, Rossiya 24 and TV Centre International will be sanctioned in an effort to curtail Russian propaganda. On 3 June 2022, the ban was enacted as part of the sixth package of sanctions from the EU.