Russian operators and broadcasters team to create new industry body

Russian pay TV operators and other media companies have teamed up to create a broad-based industry association dedicated to promoting common technology standards and promoting the interests of the industry.

Pay TV operators including MTS, ER-Telecom, VimpelCom, Megafon and Rostelecom have teamed up with media companies including CTC Media, Prof Media and National Media Group to create the Media Communciations Union (ISS), according to a report by Vedomosti.

According to the report, the association will be headed by MTS TV and fixed line business director Dmitry Baghdasaryan as chairman and CTC deputy CEO Sergey Petrov as president.

The activities of the association will intersect with those of existing cable association the AKTR, which is seen as primarily representing smaller regional operators, and the National Association of Broadcasters.