Vek Kachestva, No. 4, October 1, 2003

Readers of the Vek Kachestva magazine learned about RosBusinessConsulting in 2001. What has changed since then? What new projects have been implemented over the past two years?

We have achieved significant results over this time span. Firstly, I would like to stress that RosBusinessConsulting has entered a new level in its development after becoming a public company and attaining international standards of corporate governance.

Last year, RBC became the first Russian company that conducted an IPO on the domestic stock market.

In the first quarter of 2003, RBC stocks were among the leaders of a rise, which proves the company's well-timed entrance to the stock market. Last year, RBC was included on the pan-European rating of the most rapidly growing IT companies, Deloitte&Touche Tohmatsu 2002. This is not surprising since the company's average growth rate surpassed 700 percent over the past three years.

Commenting on new projects of RBC, I want to mention the launch of a daily analytical newspaper RBC-daily, the development of a unique product called QuoteTotal, which is a financial and analytical terminal providing current and calculation data from the Russian market along with the main international market data. I also want to name the development of new information products for the stock market, and of course, the launch of RBC TV, the first business-oriented television in Russia.

The launch of a TV channel is a symbolic stage in the company's development. How did you make this decision? Could you tell us more about this project?

The launch of the first Russian business television was a natural consequence in RBC's development. We have been working on the information market for ten years now, and business topics have always been a priority for us. Currently, the business audience of RBC Internet resources surpassed 1.5 million people a month, however, the Internet does not meet the needs of all people requiring business information. Taking this into consideration we found a new channel for information dissemination, i.e. television. Existing TV channels devote insignificant proportions of time to business issues, to put it mildly, so we have occupied this niche.

RBC TV has a clear and definite task: to inform domestic entrepreneurs about Russian business events. Unlike western business television, RBC TV combines information and analytical broadcasting, consisting of business and political news, commentaries, feature programs and interviews. Starting this September, our viewers have a chance to watch and evaluate industry reviews, discussions of breaking news, special reports and live reports from sites along with special projects.

RBC TV broadcasts 24 hours a day, including 18 hours of live broadcasting with information coming in real time. In addition to cable and terrestrial broadcasting, RBC TV is broadcasting on the Internet. I think this is very convenient for office use.

What is the target audience of RBC TV?

The number of people who need uninterrupted receipt of recent business new has increased significantly over the past several years. These are company heads, top managers, economic and financial experts together with representatives of state governing agencies, students of economics and journalists.

In addition, we saw an increase in the number of B2B companies and firms producing luxury goods. These companies are interested in a target audience for their advertising and none of the existing TV channels can offer them this opportunity. Theoretically, it is possible to advertise an investment bank, auditing services or expensive cars on an ordinary channel, but due to its heterogeneous audience it turns out that these firms will advertise their services to people who do not need them. This means that a TV channel completely devoted to business matters becomes a unique advertising ground for such companies.

We estimate the TV project to pay back completely in two years.

What in you view are the main advantages of RBC on the television market?

It would be wrong to speak about "television services" in general right now. The new channel has a definite target audience, which is actually the existing audience of RosBusinessConsulting and those who are ready to become a part of this audience because of their business activities.

RBC has been spotlighting business issues for ten years, so what we are doing now is not new to us. A business TV channel is just a new and expanded channel for disseminating RBC's information. In the event we decided to launch a musical or public and political TV channel, then RBC would have no advantages. We possess a well-developed correspondent network, intellectual capital, technical possibilities and established editing policies. RBC TV is using all possibilities of a largest Russian business news agency, possibilities that have been growing over all years of the company's development.

Is RosBusinessConsulting going to change its business priorities after the launch of a TV channel?

It is difficult to give a categorical answer to this question. The business TV channel will be one of the most important directions but it does not mean that we will pay less attention to other aspects in RBC's activities. Moreover, the company's expansion will result in strengthening each direction within the company.

What are your plans for the future?

Over the next two years, RBC is set to become a large company. The company's profits double every year, and I think these growth dynamics will continue in the future. A significant enlargement of the company will mean new tasks. I hope we will manage not only to keep our position on the market but also to occupy new niches, which means new projects ahead.

Thank you for this interview, and let me wish, on behalf of our readers, a successful launch to new projects of RosBusinessConsulting.

The first Russian TV channel for business people

The first TV channel for business people, RBC TV, was launched in Russia on September 2. Yevgeny Yasin, a well-known economist and co-chairman of the expert and supervisory council of RBC TV, commented on this event at a press conference devoted to the beginning of broadcasting and called the new channel ""Russia's Bloomberg". This comparison, although flattering, is not quite precise. Unlike western business TV channels, which can be either information-oriented or analytical, RBC TV combines news broadcasting and analytical programs. Another special feature of RBC TV is that journalists provide no comments on events. This is left to marketers and experts.

The new TV channel broadcasts 24 hours a day, including 18 hours of live programs. The concept of the RBC group (RBC TV is a subsidiary of OAO RBC Information Systems) stipulates that during the day the new TV channel will be watched in offices by those who constantly need up-to-date economic information while the morning and evening audience will be broader and consist not of those interested in exchange quotes but all people who want to know, for example, what currency is better for savings or what is the best way to manage savings.

Social scientists from the Comcon agency estimate the potential audience of RBC TV at more than 12m people. RBC TV is expected to cover this audience in a year and it will broadcast for 7 to 8 million viewers by the end of this year. So far the new TV channel is watched by residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg, however, in the near future, RBC TV will go on the air in other large Russian cities.