Sony Channel Russia or Sony Pictures Television Russia was the Russian branch of international

pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...

Sony Channel, broadcasting TV shows and movies on air in Russia. Sony Channel provides television content from Sony Pictures as well as third-party distributors. Sony channel also provides a special original content commissioned by locals and global parties. It is a division of Sony Pictures Television Inc. (SPT), a

Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...

company. The portfolio of SPT Networks reaches over 2 billion viewers around the world broadcasting in 178 countries worldwide and includes over 150 entertainment channels. Specifically, Sony Channel Russia broadcasts regionally to

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

and neighboring countries: The Republic of Belarus,

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...

, and

Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...

History

Originally founded in 2000 producing Russian market TV-series, Sony Pictures Television Russia was called Lean-M Productions before a majority stake acquisition from Sony Pictures Television in 2007. Lean-M is now owned entirely by Sony Pictures Television Russia. In February 2018, Sony Corp. production studio, Sony Pictures Television, and Russian media holding company National Media Group (NMG) set up a joint venture to operate Sony's paid television channels in Russia. NMG said it would acquire 80 percent in a company broadcasting Sony channels in Russia. NMG did not disclose financial details of the transaction. NMG acquired 80% of the following channels: * Sony Sci-Fi * Sony Entertainment Television (Russia) * Sony Turbo Sony Channel (Russia) is currently managed by Vladmir Utin (Chief Operating Officer) and Mikhail Rossolko (Chief Creative Officer).

Content

Sony channel (Russia) operates three channels: Sony Sci-Fi, Sony Entertainment Television, and Sony Turbo. Sony Sci-Fi was launched in Russia in 2007 as AXN-Sci-Fi and in 2013 it changed its name to Sony Sci-Fi. Its content includes sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, and adventure fiction. In 2009, Sony Entertainment Television was launched in hopes of attracting a female audience. Then in 2012 Sony Turbo was launched with the male audience in mind. Sony Pictures Television Russia has produced a number of primetime drama series,

telenovelas A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar Drama (film and television), drama genres around the w ...

, and

sitcoms A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent setting, such as a home ...

. The company adapted various television formats for Russian audiences such as Betty La Fea (romanized: Ne Rodis’ Krassivoy),

Midwives A midwife (: midwives) is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialisation known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their ...

(Akusherka), Married...with Children (Schastlivy Vmeste), and

Everybody Loves Raymond ''Everybody Loves Raymond'' is an American television sitcom created by Philip Rosenthal that aired on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005, with a total of 210 episodes spanning nine seasons. It was produced by Where's Lunch and Wor ...

(Voroniny). With over 500 episodes,

was officially recorded by

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...

as the world’s longest-running adaptation of a TV series. "Sony Pictures Television Russia co-created and co-produced the CTC's hit series The Eighties (Vos'midesyatiye) and scripted reality series

Strong Medicine ''Strong Medicine'' is an American medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict that aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It was created and produced in part by Whoopi Goldberg, who made cam ...

(Vernoye Sredstvo), which has over 300 episodes. Among the most popular projects of Sony Pictures Television Russia are an original TV-series, Poor Nastya (Bednaya Nastya), and a local version of the American sitcom,

The Nanny ''The Nanny'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish wikt:fashionista, fashionista from Flushing, Queens, who becomes the nanny of three children ...

(Moya Prekrasnaya Nyanya)." "Over the last few years, Sony Pictures Television Russia has successfully developed and produced several non-scripted projects, including original formats and adaptations, such as ''Momsters (Moya Svekrov’ Monstr)'', ''To Forgive or To Revenge (Izmeny)'', and ''Fish on The Cake (Idealny Uzhin)''." "Sony Pictures Television Russia plans to continue its cooperation with the leading TV channels and online platforms in Russia and to produce more formats in different genres, from reality shows to historical dramas."

References

{{Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Television Defunct television channels in Russia Television channels and stations established in 2008 Television channels and stations disestablished in 2021