69 minutes, more than 30 journalists from leading Russian media and authors of popular Telegram channels, 27 questions about the future of the media industry: Aleksandr Zharov, the CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding, spoke about the company’s development strategy for 2026 at the first press breakfast of the year.
The most discussed topics were:
RBC: “Why is a new Goskino needed and how will its structure differ from ROSKINO?”
“ROSKINO is engaged in marketing: promoting Russian cinema abroad, its distribution, and organizing festivals. Goskino, on the other hand, should primarily focus on content planning, being a strategic customer and navigator. This involves working at early stages: identifying, forming, and supporting projects with a strong cultural code and potential for global success. I hope this issue will be resolved soon.”
Vedomosti: “Is there a plan to make viewership data on online cinemas public, and is Gazprom-Media Holding ready to start with itself, for example, with the PREMIER cinema?”
“It is necessary to find a balance of interests between platforms, content producers, and advertisers. Recognizing the arguments about commercial secrecy, we understand that a certain level of openness is necessary for the development of the advertising market and transparency. The key principle is unified, clear, and fair rules. The Holding is ready to disclose this data, but I emphasize that this decision should be industry-wide.”
RIA Novosti: “How will television develop in Russia, and what formats will become dominant in 2026?”
“The future of television lies in the gradual transition to the Internet. TV channels will become more interesting thanks to additional programs that will be monetized both through advertising and subscription models. As for formats, niche content such as sports, documentaries, and children’s content is quite popular. But the drivers have been and will remain big, bright entertainment shows and series.”