"This report will describe changes in the TV industry in Russia between 2002 and 2005.1 According to the request of the European Audiovisual Observatory, in conformity with its statute, this report describes the organisation and market evolutions of the Russian television system and does not have the objective of assessing the quality of the Russian news system or the quality of media pluralism in the Russian Federation. In a system where the role of political power is still important in structuring the market, it is however difficult to completely avoid any reference to political elements in the description of the development of this system." (Introduction)