Russian TV Company HTB to Enter Georgian Market

Russian state company HTB (NTV) Plus is about to enter the Georgian market, claims Georgian media.

HTB now belongs to Gazprom-Media, the largest Russian media holding. It was founded in 2000 as a subsidiary of Russian Gazprom. In 2000, it acquired NTV, the only nationwide state-independent television in Russia of that time.

The partner of HTB Plus in Georgia is LLC Media Group, which was established in September 2017.

Gazprom Media Director General, Dimitri Shernishenko, says that they have positive experience of cooperation with the Georgian Media Group , which broadcasts more than 20 channels owned by HTB.

Georgia’s Communications Regulatory Commission says that HTB Plus registered under Georgian legislation two years ago (on September 12, 2016) and received authorization. According to the regulatory commission, an interested person fills in an application and if all the documents demanded by law are in line, the authorization is automatically granted.

Regarding HTB Plus, the Commission says authorization alone is not enough for it to be admitted onto the Georgian market.

“The company must register in the Entrepreneurial Registry and present that certificate of registration to the Georgian National Communications Commission," said the Regulatory Commission.

By Thea Morrison