US-Armenian businessman Mikayel Israyelyan has bought a majority stake in New York-based Russian-language television network RTVI from its Russian owner and plans to expand it in the United States, the channel said on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
US-Armenian businessman buys New York-based Russian-language broadcaster RTVI
RTVI, which broadcasts in Russian in more than 50 countries including the United States, said it plans to open bureaus in Washington and California, focusing on programming for Russian diaspora communities.
“There are nearly 7 million Russian-speaking people living in the United States today, who are interested in original high-quality content in their native language,” Israyelyan, who has Armenian heritage, said in a statement.
“I see further business expansion opportunities on the West Coast, in attracting a new generation of viewers seeking to preserve its ties with the Russian culture and agenda,” he added.
