Ren TV

History

2025: 5th place among the largest TV channels in Russia in terms of audience size (1.21 million people)

At the end of 2025, Ren TV took the 5th place among the largest TV channels in Russia in terms of audience size. These are the results of a study by Mediascope, published in Vedomosti on January 12, 2026. Read more here

2016: NMG brought its stake in the channel to 82%

In March 2016, it became known that one of the largest Russian media holdings - the National Media Group - increased its ownership in the federal television channel REN TV. The holding bought 14% of the shares from the Cypriot offshore in order to comply with the requirements of legislation limiting the share of ownership of foreigners in the Russian media, the Vedomosti newspaper reported. The information about the transaction was confirmed to the publication by a source in NMG, who, however, did not specify its amount.

In 2015, a law was passed limiting the share of ownership of foreign companies in the Russian media in the amount of 20% from January 1, 2016. To comply with the law, NMG brought its share of ownership from 68% to 82%, Vedomosti reported, citing SPARK data.

2011: Cyprus offshore Ermira Consultants buys RTL Group stake

In 2011, the Russian assets of RTL of the Luxembourg media company RTL Group were bought by Ermira Consultants Ltd, a company registered in Cyprus. Later, she bought out a minority stake in REN TV, and brought her stake in the television company to 32%. This company also owns a 3 percent stake in Channel Five, the largest shareholder of which is also NMG. RBC previously linked Ermira Consultants Ltd. with the Rotenberg family.

2008: TV channel is part of the "National Media Group"

The holding LMWG was created in 2008 by combining media assets, Bank "Russia" Yuri Kovalchuk OJSC "," Surgutneftegas insurance group "" and Sogaz. Alexey Mordashov It was these structures in different shares that owned the REN TV channel, which became part of the combined holding. At the same time, 30% of the channel's shares remained with the Luxembourg media company RTL Group.

1997: Broadcasting Starts

In 1997, the television company began its own broadcasting in Russia, creating a nationwide television network. Dmitry Kiselev, Petr Fedorov, Tatyana Larina come to the channel, a little later - Igor Prokopenko, Oksana Barkovskaya, Maria Rumyantseva, Vasily Strelnikov. The TV channel is the first in Russia to start showing the cult series' The X-Files' and 'The Simpsons'.

1991: Founding of the Company

Under the REN-TV brand, the television company was founded on January 1, 1991 as an independent manufacturing company. The company considers Eldar Ryazanov's television project "The Irony of Fate, or Merry Christmas," which aired on December 24, 1991 on ORT as its first program.