OREANDA-NEWS. On November 20, 2008 Futbol (Football), the first niche channel of TRK Ukraina Group, has started broadcasting recently, reported the press-centre of SCM. 

It will operate in test mode first, covering the evening prime-time from 18.00 and broadcasting football matches live and in video record. In particular, Futbol has got rights to cover championships of France, Portugal, Scotland, Holland and cups of England, Holland and Italy.

Aleksandr Denisov, Director of Futbol channel, says: "We've signed agreements with 230 cable providers so far. Probably, not all of them will include the channel into their grid today, but this will happen very soon".

According to Aleksandr Denisov, the test mode is down to technical reasons, specifically, the need to test the equipment.

As informed before, Futbol will start full-scale broadcasting closer to March 2009. In-house programs will be launched then too. They will include analyses and news, talk-shows, game and championship overviews by the leading Ukrainian and international experts, managers and players. The channel is going also to buy analytical and entertainment football programs produced by the leading international TV companies.

All providers that have not signed agreements to broadcast Futbol channel are invited to cooperation.

Short profile of the Company:
TRK Ukraina is one of the major national TV channels of Ukraine (it ranks 6th according to GFK-Ukraine).

The key shareholder of TRK Ukraina is System Capital Management (owns 99.67% of shares).
TRK Ukraina is the channel which covers all audience groups. Broadcasting areas include news, education, children, entertainment, feature, and sport programs. Coverage is performed by cable, air, and satellite.

TRK Ukraina is the most dynamic TV channel. In 2007 it had the biggest increase in the audience share (14.2%) among the major national channels.

In the first quarter of 2008 the average indicators of the channel in the "general" rating panel were: share%): 5.82 (audience 18+), ratings%): 1.01  (audience 18+).