17 January 2024

Gazprom-Media Holding summed up the results of radio broadcasting network development in 2023: over 65 switch-ons, 12 frequencies won and a pool of 30 cities

Relax FM, Like FM and Comedy Radio appeared in several more cities with populations over 1 million. ENERGY was heard in the main resort of Siberia, and Avtoradio became the largest network in Russia in terms of the number of transmitters.

In 2023, the federal network of GPM Radio, owned by Gazprom-Media Holding, increased by 65 transmitters, and three more cities relaunched Avtoradio with a change of frequency or partner—the total potential reach exceeded 30 million new listeners. Now, more than 890 transmitters cover more than 80,000 communities across the country* with GPM Radio’s signal. More than 32 million Russians aged 12+ choose the holding company’s formats weekly, with a monthly audience of about 40 million.**

In 2023, we once again made sure that radio is one of the favorite media formats among Russians, and that there is a future for it. The radio broadcasting market has impressed the entire industry by showing impressive growth and a huge surge of interest from audiences and advertisers. It was on this wave that throughout the year we actively expanded into the regions, winning competitions and conquering new cities. We also expanded the distribution of our audio content on various platforms, actively promoting new ways of listening to the airwaves, including online and through smart speakers. Every year, we set a new pace for ourselves and the industry as a whole. I am sure that GPM Radio will look forward to even more victories and successes in 2024. And we will continue to do what we do so well and for which we are loved by our audience of millions—to launch new original projects and fill the airwaves with exciting radio programs and popular music.

Yulia Golubeva
Vice President of RAR, Deputy CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding

Distribution of radio content is one of the main vectors of development. Avtoradio’s national network became the largest in terms of the number of transmitters, Relax FM and Like FM went federal, and we are expanding our broadcasting to new territories in Russia. The victories at Federal Competitive Commission (FCC) competitions are impressive, and the main reason for pride is the pool of 30 frequencies won by Detskoe Radio in January 2023. And launches took place before the end of the year in 14 cities. Children from Vladivostok, Orenburg, Stavropol, Sochi and other cities listened to the radio station, which delivers fundamental values to the younger generation.

Vadim Tereshchuk
CEO of GPM Radio

In 2023, the GPM Radio sub-holding participated in eight Roskomnadzor tenders. In addition to the single pool of 30 Russian cities won by Detskoe Radio, the Federal Competitive Commission (FCC) for TV and Radio Broadcasting granted GPM Radio the right to launch its formats in 12 more municipalities, including cities with millions of inhabitants: St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh. At the FCC competition, the Like FM concept won five times, Relax FM and Comedy Radio won three frequencies each, and one more was won by Avtoradio.

GPM Radio’s flagship, Avtoradio, celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023 with both large-scale projects, and new switch-ons in 15 cities. There were also relaunches in Obninsk, Anapa and Sochi. Today, the radio station has 395 transmitters covering over 76,100 municipalities (technical coverage of 0+ (FM)—over 120.8 million people). The broadcasting network of Detskoe Radio increased by 16 transmitters, Humor FM by 9, and Relax FM by 7. ENERGY, Comedy Radio and Like FM have six new switch-ons each.

ENERGY hit music was broadcast in Tobolsk and in Sheregesh, the main ski resort in Siberia. Jokes and songs of Humor FM became available to residents of Khabarovsk. The innovative format of Like FM came to the cities of Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don and Saratov, with populations over one million. Relax FM is now available on the Black Sea coast of Sochi. And Comedy Radio appeared in Murmansk, above the Arctic Circle.

Grigoriy Mikhailov
Deputy CEO of GPM Radio for Distribution and Technology

Along with Avtoradio, ENERGY and Humor FM are major national brands, which now broadcast in more than 45,200 and 40,000 locations in Russia, respectively. More than 23,200 cities and towns are covered by the airwaves of Detskoe Radio, about 20,000 by Comedy Radio and more than 10,600 by Like FM. There are about 8,000 municipalities in the area of good reception of Relax FM.

*Data: analytical department of GPM Radio.

**Mediascope, Radio Index—Russia 100+, April-September 2023, 12+.