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The National Media Group (NMG) announces the launch of Russia’s first original series in the popular genre of short vertical content. The micronovel will be an exclusive for the Stories platform (https://stories.show/), which NMG launched in test mode in April 2025.
Micronovels are melodramatic stories divided into episodes lasting up to several minutes, filmed specifically for vertical viewing on mobile devices. Until recently, Russian users had access primarily to foreign micronovel platforms and limited catalogues of dubbed foreign series.
“Pregnant with Oligarch’s Baby” is the story of a girl who one day learns she is going to be a mother and faces betrayal from her beloved. On one hand, the project follows the genre’s conventions: dramatic plot twists, love dramas, intrigues, and secrets. On the other, thanks to local realities, recognizable characters, and tone, it resonates with Russian viewers. The series will also feature Russian subtitles as a mandatory format element.
This series is the first original project in NMG’s micronovel lineup. It joins the library of short melodramas on Stories, which already includes a selection of localized projects and series from the Domashniy channel adapted for vertical viewing. Currently, the Stories catalogue features 85 short series in vertical format.
The series will be available via the GVOD (Gamified Video on Demand) model. The first few episodes will be freely accessible, while unlocking subsequent episodes will require viewers to watch an advertisement or unlock the episode using virtual “coins”.
Trailer: https://disk.yandex.ru/d/qbIO4qbH842uAA
Poster: https://disk.yandex.ru/i/OWhN41NAg8BG1w
Behind‑the‑scenes photos: https://disk.yandex.ru/d/JeXwwP3EzAkHsg
Production: LLC Kamerabum Reality, NMG, STS, CHE!
Producers: Elena Karpenko, Valeria Shorina, Nikita Dudkin, Sergey Gusev
Director: Nikita Dudkin
Screenplay: Anna Ermolaeva
Cinematographers: Dmitry Gresev, Viktor Krylov, Dmitry Zorin
Art Director: Vera Kuptsova
Cast: Alina Chechenkova, Anton Borisevich, Egor Pezhemsky, Vasilisa Ageenkova, Natalya Churikova, Sofia Kozelskaya, Vladislav Belousov, Anna Naumenko, Mikhail Kilgishev, Valentin Vall
Number of episodes: 70
Total runtime: 90 minutes
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 Kinoprokat”, сompanies engaged in the production of popular films, shows and series, as well as owning technological and marketing assets. NMG also holds an equity stake in Channel One.
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 Сommercial fund for the development of film and animation.
According to Mediascope, by the end of 2024 NMG was the leader in terrestrial TV audience share across the entire population of Russia, with a 25% share.
Micronovels are melodramatic stories divided into episodes lasting up to several minutes, filmed specifically for vertical viewing on mobile devices. Until recently, Russian users had access primarily to foreign micronovel platforms and limited catalogues of dubbed foreign series.
“Pregnant with Oligarch’s Baby” is the story of a girl who one day learns she is going to be a mother and faces betrayal from her beloved. On one hand, the project follows the genre’s conventions: dramatic plot twists, love dramas, intrigues, and secrets. On the other, thanks to local realities, recognizable characters, and tone, it resonates with Russian viewers. The series will also feature Russian subtitles as a mandatory format element.
This series is the first original project in NMG’s micronovel lineup. It joins the library of short melodramas on Stories, which already includes a selection of localized projects and series from the Domashniy channel adapted for vertical viewing. Currently, the Stories catalogue features 85 short series in vertical format.
The series will be available via the GVOD (Gamified Video on Demand) model. The first few episodes will be freely accessible, while unlocking subsequent episodes will require viewers to watch an advertisement or unlock the episode using virtual “coins”.
Trailer: https://disk.yandex.ru/d/qbIO4qbH842uAA
Poster: https://disk.yandex.ru/i/OWhN41NAg8BG1w
Behind‑the‑scenes photos: https://disk.yandex.ru/d/JeXwwP3EzAkHsg
Production: LLC Kamerabum Reality, NMG, STS, CHE!
Producers: Elena Karpenko, Valeria Shorina, Nikita Dudkin, Sergey Gusev
Director: Nikita Dudkin
Screenplay: Anna Ermolaeva
Cinematographers: Dmitry Gresev, Viktor Krylov, Dmitry Zorin
Art Director: Vera Kuptsova
Cast: Alina Chechenkova, Anton Borisevich, Egor Pezhemsky, Vasilisa Ageenkova, Natalya Churikova, Sofia Kozelskaya, Vladislav Belousov, Anna Naumenko, Mikhail Kilgishev, Valentin Vall
Number of episodes: 70
Total runtime: 90 minutes
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 Kinoprokat”, сompanies engaged in the production of popular films, shows and series, as well as owning technological and marketing assets. NMG also holds an equity stake in Channel One.
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 Сommercial fund for the development of film and animation.
According to Mediascope, by the end of 2024 NMG was the leader in terrestrial TV audience share across the entire population of Russia, with a 25% share.