Russia’s State Broadcaster Is Launching a Streaming Platform—With Ambitions Beyond TV

The Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS) is taking a bold new step into the digital frontier. According to Kommersant, the state-owned broadcaster is preparing to expand its platform, RTRS.Plyus, by rolling out a new “Video” section—a precursor to what could become a full-fledged video-on-demand (VoD) service.

Originally designed to deliver over-the-air TV and radio channels, RTRS.Plyus is evolving into something more ambitious. The move signals an effort to unify Russia’s state media offerings into a single digital ecosystem—one that aligns with how people actually consume content in 2025: on demand, across screens, untethered from traditional broadcast schedules.

An industry report titled Broadcasting in Russia 2023–2024, backed by the Ministry of Digital Development, confirms that RTRS is already in talks with content producers to fill out its upcoming VoD catalog. If successful, the service could emerge as a state-backed competitor to private streaming giants.

Launched in 2023, RTRS.Plyus began as a regional pilot but has since scaled rapidly. It now features not just national TV and radio but also regional broadcasters. With more than 50,000 households already on board, the platform is seeing its highest engagement from local channels and news.

Experts say this push into digital is a natural evolution for RTRS. The broadcaster operates over 5,000 transmission stations and reaches 98.6% of Russia’s population. With infrastructure on its side, RTRS has the network muscle to make a serious play in the digital streaming wars—on its own terms.