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National Media Group and China Media Group (CMG) have signed a cooperation agreement. The signing ceremony took place during the visit of a delegation from the People’s Republic of China to Russia for the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, in the presence of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the PRC Xi Jinping.
The cooperation will involve content exchange and joint production, informational and technological collaboration, as well as professional exchanges between specialists, all aimed at developing cultural interaction and strengthening the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
This agreement is an important step in developing partnership between Chinese and Russian media. It will also help expand audiences and improve the quality of content available to viewers and listeners in both countries.
Svetlana Balanova, CEO of National Media Group, stated:
“The beginning of cooperation with China Media Group (CMG) is an important step for NMG. China has long been a strategically significant partner for us. Content produced by NMG is already enjoying success in China: the animated series ‘Three Cats’ has accumulated several billion views in China, and one of our recent successful sales was the feature film “Ice 3”. This year, Russia saw the successful premiere of the adventure detective blockbuster “Red Silk”, produced jointly with Chinese partners. The film received national Chinese film status and a distribution certificate. We hope for a wide release in China. We will continue to strive to produce content popular in both countries. We are confident that cooperation in the information field with China’s leading media company will allow us to jointly deliver a relevant world view to a vast audience and, over time, set new benchmarks for the global media industry. Signing the agreement between our media holdings marks an important stage in the further development of bilateral relations and will help strengthen cultural and business cooperation between Russia and China.”
Shen Haixiong, President of China Media Group (CMG), stated:
“Based on the signed cooperation documents, China Media Group and National Media Group will develop more practical cooperation, create more heartfelt and relatable works close to the people’s lives, bringing new brilliance to the all-round strategic partnership between China and Russia in the new era, and contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.”
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Background information
National Media Group is Russia’s largest private media holding. NMG manages a diversified portfolio of assets in the production, distribution, and monetization of high-quality informational and entertainment content across all types of media.
Key assets include the leaders of the Russian media market: broadcast TV channels REN TV, Channel Five, STS, Domashny, Che, STS Love, and STS Kids; the multimedia information center “Izvestia MIC” (which includes the IZ.RU portal, the “Izvestia” newspaper, the “Izvestia” TV channel, and the news services of REN TV and Channel Five); newspapers such as “Sport-Express” and “Delovoy Peterburg.” NMG holds an equity stake in Channel One.
The holding also owns “NMG Studio.” In 2019, NMG launched the online service more.tv, and in June 2023 completed the merger of video services more.tv and Wink as part of a joint venture with PJSC Rostelecom. In November 2022, the holding announced the creation of the film distribution company “NMG Kinoprokat.” In January 2024, NMG launched NMG DOC – a single platform for the production and distribution of non-fiction works. In April 2024, NMG and RDIF agreed to invest in the creation of a joint commercial fund for the development of film and animation.
China Media Group (CMG)
Founded in 2018, China Media Group (CMG) is one of the largest media groups in the world.
CMG operates an extensive multiplatform broadcasting system, including 51 TV channels (11 international), and 22 radio channels for domestic audiences. Broadcasting is conducted in 82 languages for a global audience.
CMG possesses powerful production capabilities. In 2024, the daily volume of television content reached about 1,100 hours, radio and online audio programs around 3,300 hours, and the total media archive exceeded 3.32 million hours. The famous prime-time news program “Xinwen Lianbo” averages 141 million viewers daily. In 2025, the annual cultural event “Spring Festival Gala” reached a cumulative audience of 26.1 billion views across all media platforms, with more than 3,300 media outlets from 200 countries and regions broadcasting it live.
The cooperation will involve content exchange and joint production, informational and technological collaboration, as well as professional exchanges between specialists, all aimed at developing cultural interaction and strengthening the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
This agreement is an important step in developing partnership between Chinese and Russian media. It will also help expand audiences and improve the quality of content available to viewers and listeners in both countries.
Svetlana Balanova, CEO of National Media Group, stated:
“The beginning of cooperation with China Media Group (CMG) is an important step for NMG. China has long been a strategically significant partner for us. Content produced by NMG is already enjoying success in China: the animated series ‘Three Cats’ has accumulated several billion views in China, and one of our recent successful sales was the feature film “Ice 3”. This year, Russia saw the successful premiere of the adventure detective blockbuster “Red Silk”, produced jointly with Chinese partners. The film received national Chinese film status and a distribution certificate. We hope for a wide release in China. We will continue to strive to produce content popular in both countries. We are confident that cooperation in the information field with China’s leading media company will allow us to jointly deliver a relevant world view to a vast audience and, over time, set new benchmarks for the global media industry. Signing the agreement between our media holdings marks an important stage in the further development of bilateral relations and will help strengthen cultural and business cooperation between Russia and China.”
Shen Haixiong, President of China Media Group (CMG), stated:
“Based on the signed cooperation documents, China Media Group and National Media Group will develop more practical cooperation, create more heartfelt and relatable works close to the people’s lives, bringing new brilliance to the all-round strategic partnership between China and Russia in the new era, and contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.”
***
Background information
National Media Group is Russia’s largest private media holding. NMG manages a diversified portfolio of assets in the production, distribution, and monetization of high-quality informational and entertainment content across all types of media.
Key assets include the leaders of the Russian media market: broadcast TV channels REN TV, Channel Five, STS, Domashny, Che, STS Love, and STS Kids; the multimedia information center “Izvestia MIC” (which includes the IZ.RU portal, the “Izvestia” newspaper, the “Izvestia” TV channel, and the news services of REN TV and Channel Five); newspapers such as “Sport-Express” and “Delovoy Peterburg.” NMG holds an equity stake in Channel One.
The holding also owns “NMG Studio.” In 2019, NMG launched the online service more.tv, and in June 2023 completed the merger of video services more.tv and Wink as part of a joint venture with PJSC Rostelecom. In November 2022, the holding announced the creation of the film distribution company “NMG Kinoprokat.” In January 2024, NMG launched NMG DOC – a single platform for the production and distribution of non-fiction works. In April 2024, NMG and RDIF agreed to invest in the creation of a joint commercial fund for the development of film and animation.
China Media Group (CMG)
Founded in 2018, China Media Group (CMG) is one of the largest media groups in the world.
CMG operates an extensive multiplatform broadcasting system, including 51 TV channels (11 international), and 22 radio channels for domestic audiences. Broadcasting is conducted in 82 languages for a global audience.
CMG possesses powerful production capabilities. In 2024, the daily volume of television content reached about 1,100 hours, radio and online audio programs around 3,300 hours, and the total media archive exceeded 3.32 million hours. The famous prime-time news program “Xinwen Lianbo” averages 141 million viewers daily. In 2025, the annual cultural event “Spring Festival Gala” reached a cumulative audience of 26.1 billion views across all media platforms, with more than 3,300 media outlets from 200 countries and regions broadcasting it live.