RT , which stands for Russia Today, is getting access to 2M television viewers via Independence Public Media’s WYBE Channel 35 in Philadelphia. It is the third niche service being offered by WYBE in addition to its main local program stream.
WYBE calls itself MiND TV: Media Independence. It provides community oriented programming on its primary digital channel, and uses side channels to provide NHK World, which brings in news from Japan, and France24.
RT was pleased to have access to another US market. “It is especially relevant to expand the channel’s footprint in the U.S. today, given the growing popularity of RT as a source of information that’s alternative to the mainstream media,” says Margarita Simonyan, RT’s editor-in-chief.
And WYBE was pleased to add RT. “RT is a wonderful addition to MiND’s program services in Philadelphia,” said MiND CEO Howard Blumenthal. “We believe that people should ‘Question More’–which is RT’s tagline.”
RT brings news from both Moscow and Washington DC to a worldwide audience, and says it is available to 430M people.
RBR-TVBR observation: Here’s yet another broadcaster making full use of its digital capability, to the benefit of the local community. Which means it is likely NOT a candidate to participate in an incentive auction.
