Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Match TV
Match! TV (Russian: Матч! ТВ) is a Russian free-to-air federal sports television channel owned by Gazprom Media.
The channel began broadcasting on November 1, 2015, and had been created in accordance with the order of Russian president Vladimir Putin, with the assistance of the editorial office of Gazprom-Media Holding, technical assistance of ANO Sports Broadcasting (Panorama's brand) and the frequency of Russia-2 (VGTRK). The general producer of the channel was Tina Kandelaki until she was replaced in September 2021 by Alexander Tashchin.
On 17 April 2015, the RBK media holding initially reported unconfirmed information that the TV channel Russia-2 might be transferred to the Gazprom-Media holding, with NTV-Plus planning to create a full-fledged sports channel on its basis. Three days later, according to TASS, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko expressed concern during a press conference in Sochi about the lack of a publicly accessible sports channel in Russia. He stated that the issue of sports broadcasting would be discussed at the Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports but declined to reveal details of the planned decisions. The Council meeting took place on 2 June 2015. During the meeting, Gazprom-Media CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko announced the creation of a new specialized, publicly accessible sports channel, to be formed on the production and technological base of NTV-Plus and the Sportivnoye Veshchaniye (Sports Broadcasting) autonomous non-profit organization, as well as the distribution network of Russia-2. On 5 June 2015, the National Sports Channel limited liability company was established.
According to item 4 of the list of instructions following the Council meeting, signed by the Russian president on 25 June 2015, work on creating a nationwide mandatory public sports channel was to be completed by 1 August 2015. The new channel was named Match TV. As reported by the newspaper Vedomosti and confirmed by sports commentator Georgy Cherdantsev, all employees of Russia-2 were given the opportunity to transfer to Gazprom-Media.
On 15 July 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin amended the decree "On Nationwide Mandatory Public TV and Radio Channels," replacing Russia-2 with Match TV in item 3 of the list, corresponding to the channel's position in the first multiplex of digital terrestrial television. On 31 July, the first license for Match TV was issued, incorporating all existing frequencies of Russia-2 (926 analog broadcast frequencies). Temporarily, from 1 August to 31 October 2015, Russia-2 broadcast in place of Match TV across its entire distribution network, both in analog and digital television.
Match TV was led by prominent TV host, producer, and public figure Tina Kandelaki (General Producer) and former CEOs of the Domashny channel Natalia Bilan (Creative Director) and Natalia Korotkova (Programming Director). Kandelaki's appointment was met with mixed reactions from viewers and staff of NTV-Plus sports channels, leading to a public dispute between Kandelaki and commentator Vasily Utkin, who announced on 11 August his refusal to work under the new director. However, he reversed his decision a month later.
In early October, employees of Sportivnoye Veshchaniye branches received notices of dismissal due to the "completion of the company's statutory activities." Equipment used during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi—including 12 mobile TV stations, 7 mobile satellite communication stations, 2 mobile special equipment stations, a mobile central control room, and more—was transferred to Match TV and regional broadcasters. However, only a portion of Panorama employees moved to the new channel. The equipment was valued at $150 million.
The new channel's logo, designed in the style of Soviet constructivism by Shandesign studio, was unveiled in mid-September 2015. It immediately faced significant criticism from designers. The logo was displayed in the top-right corner of the screen, with its symbols alternating between red and white every 7 seconds during broadcasts. During commercials (and likely promos as well), the logo disappeared from the screen. Typically, the logo would vanish 0.5 seconds after a commercial break began and reappear 0.5 seconds after it ended. In rare cases, the logo disappeared 7 seconds before a commercial block (not just the break) and reappeared 7 seconds after it concluded. On 25 October, rappers Basta and Smoky Mo released a music video for the song Final Match, which became the channel's anthem. The video was directed by Rezo Gigineishvili.
Hub AI
Match TV AI simulator
(@Match TV_simulator)
Match TV
Match! TV (Russian: Матч! ТВ) is a Russian free-to-air federal sports television channel owned by Gazprom Media.
The channel began broadcasting on November 1, 2015, and had been created in accordance with the order of Russian president Vladimir Putin, with the assistance of the editorial office of Gazprom-Media Holding, technical assistance of ANO Sports Broadcasting (Panorama's brand) and the frequency of Russia-2 (VGTRK). The general producer of the channel was Tina Kandelaki until she was replaced in September 2021 by Alexander Tashchin.
On 17 April 2015, the RBK media holding initially reported unconfirmed information that the TV channel Russia-2 might be transferred to the Gazprom-Media holding, with NTV-Plus planning to create a full-fledged sports channel on its basis. Three days later, according to TASS, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko expressed concern during a press conference in Sochi about the lack of a publicly accessible sports channel in Russia. He stated that the issue of sports broadcasting would be discussed at the Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports but declined to reveal details of the planned decisions. The Council meeting took place on 2 June 2015. During the meeting, Gazprom-Media CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko announced the creation of a new specialized, publicly accessible sports channel, to be formed on the production and technological base of NTV-Plus and the Sportivnoye Veshchaniye (Sports Broadcasting) autonomous non-profit organization, as well as the distribution network of Russia-2. On 5 June 2015, the National Sports Channel limited liability company was established.
According to item 4 of the list of instructions following the Council meeting, signed by the Russian president on 25 June 2015, work on creating a nationwide mandatory public sports channel was to be completed by 1 August 2015. The new channel was named Match TV. As reported by the newspaper Vedomosti and confirmed by sports commentator Georgy Cherdantsev, all employees of Russia-2 were given the opportunity to transfer to Gazprom-Media.
On 15 July 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin amended the decree "On Nationwide Mandatory Public TV and Radio Channels," replacing Russia-2 with Match TV in item 3 of the list, corresponding to the channel's position in the first multiplex of digital terrestrial television. On 31 July, the first license for Match TV was issued, incorporating all existing frequencies of Russia-2 (926 analog broadcast frequencies). Temporarily, from 1 August to 31 October 2015, Russia-2 broadcast in place of Match TV across its entire distribution network, both in analog and digital television.
Match TV was led by prominent TV host, producer, and public figure Tina Kandelaki (General Producer) and former CEOs of the Domashny channel Natalia Bilan (Creative Director) and Natalia Korotkova (Programming Director). Kandelaki's appointment was met with mixed reactions from viewers and staff of NTV-Plus sports channels, leading to a public dispute between Kandelaki and commentator Vasily Utkin, who announced on 11 August his refusal to work under the new director. However, he reversed his decision a month later.
In early October, employees of Sportivnoye Veshchaniye branches received notices of dismissal due to the "completion of the company's statutory activities." Equipment used during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi—including 12 mobile TV stations, 7 mobile satellite communication stations, 2 mobile special equipment stations, a mobile central control room, and more—was transferred to Match TV and regional broadcasters. However, only a portion of Panorama employees moved to the new channel. The equipment was valued at $150 million.
The new channel's logo, designed in the style of Soviet constructivism by Shandesign studio, was unveiled in mid-September 2015. It immediately faced significant criticism from designers. The logo was displayed in the top-right corner of the screen, with its symbols alternating between red and white every 7 seconds during broadcasts. During commercials (and likely promos as well), the logo disappeared from the screen. Typically, the logo would vanish 0.5 seconds after a commercial break began and reappear 0.5 seconds after it ended. In rare cases, the logo disappeared 7 seconds before a commercial block (not just the break) and reappeared 7 seconds after it concluded. On 25 October, rappers Basta and Smoky Mo released a music video for the song Final Match, which became the channel's anthem. The video was directed by Rezo Gigineishvili.