On September 6 Moscow-based REN-TV, one of the biggest private Russian channels, started broadcasting via Gorizont-43 at 40 degrees East using four transponders which should help to increase a number of viewers threefold. The channel is broadcasting for 18.5 hours a day from 0700 till 0130 Moscow time.

The channel is broadcast at different times for different time-zones. The first zone receives programmes as they go out, while the second (Ukraine and the Volga river regions) gets the channel two hours later, the third (Ural mountains) gets it four hours later and the fourth (the Russian Far East) receives the signal seven hours later. The broadcasting grid has been designed so that each territory receives programmes at the same scheduled hour. If a programme begins at 1600 Moscow time, it begins in Vladivostok at 1600 Vladivostok time.

Many viewers received REN-TVis signal previously – from Kaliningrad (in the West of Russia) to Israel – but reception conditions were not good. Thanks to a new high-power transmitter (20kwt), reception has improved greatly.

"REN-TV is not the only broadcaster having transponders on Gorizont-43 (Statsionar-12) satellite," said Alexei Surkov, deputy technical manager of the channel. "RTR state channel and some other clients of the State Enterprise for Space Communications also use it." Irene Lesnevskaya, general director of REN-TV, announced recently at a press conference that in September the channel is planning to start broadcasting in digital.

"That would help our viewers to receive REN-TV signal using antennas with a small diameter," said Surkov.

"The next plans of REN-TV are to [take capacity on] the satellite [at] 80 degrees East. If now we can cover all the territory of Russia to Lake Baikal, in that case weill cover even Chukotka peninsula [in the Russian Far East]," said technical manager Vladimir Erema.