The television channels Match TV, Auto Plus and the satellite operator NTV-Plus, which are part of Gazprom-Media Holding, won five Bolshaya Tsifra awards. The ceremony for the 8th Bolshaya Tsifra national award in the field of multi-channel digital television was held on February 8.

Red Media won in the category “TV channel on interests (hobbies)” for its channel Avto Plus.

The national sports channel Match TV received a special prize from the organizing committee for its work in promoting boxing and martial arts. The channel was celebrated for the reality show Boi v Bolshom Gorode (Fight in the Big City).

The satellite operator NTV-Plus also received a special prize from the organizing committee, in this case, for its innovative approach to the creation of an interactive satellite TV service. NTV-Plus was also recognized with a special prize from Channel One for their long and stable partnership. Eutelsat, the leading satellite operator in Europe, presented NTV-Plus an award for expanding its broadcast services to Siberia and starting broadcasts in the Far East region.

“It is important for us that today it is specifically Auto Plus that is getting the Bolshaya Tsifra award. Last year we marked 10 years of being on the air and today our channel is at the peak of its television form. We were able to gather a unique team of creative, caring and professional people. I want to say a big thank you to our creative team for this award - this is the result of your work,” said Irina Dorogan, general producer of Red Media.

“This award confirms that the team at Match TV made the correct choice in the past season to popularize boxing through a new reality format. The success of Boi v Bolshom Gorode is also based largely on the fact that this project gave participants from different regions of the country a unique opportunity, for a short time, to prove themselves, to showcase their talent and achieve great success. The viewers appreciated this, as well as the participants of the reality show, who felt a significant increase in media interest towards them,” said Tina Kandelaki, general producer of Match TV.

Bolshaya Tsifra is the first national award in Russia in the field of multi-channel digital television.