Mr Sobyanin said that three digital broadcasting packets with 20 to 24 channels will be created in the framework of the federal targeted programme Development of Television and Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation between 2009 and 2015.

Initially, the digital TV format will be introduced in the remote and border regions of Russia; later, digital TV will become available in the rest of the country. According to Mr Sobyanin, the actual development of the digital TV network will commence next year. He said, about 120 billion roubles is planned to be spent on the programme, and that a considerable portion of the funds would be accrued from extra-budgetary sources.

He said that the digital TV network would have a single state operator. Mr Sobyanin stressed that the introduction of digital TV would not result in mandatory transition from analogue to digital TV sets for the population. "We are talking about having a choice to switch to digital television; there will be no mandatory deadlines for the transition," Mr Sobyanin said. 

The Government Commission on the Development of Television and Radio Broadcasting has established the list of channels that must be included into the free digital packet. The following mandatory eight channels have been included in the free digital packet: Channel 1, Rossiya, Vesti Plus, Kultura, Sport, Detsky, NTV, and Channel 5. In addition, the free packet will include the following mandatory radio channels: Radio Russia, Mayak, and Vesti FM.