Following HBO, Netflix eyes expansion in Russia

Streaming giant Netflix is planning to launch its full service in Russia by venturing into Russian language site and films.Though Netflix currently has a limited subscriber base in Russia, it has always considered the Russian Federation as one of its priority markets. While political reasons and piracy continue to be deterrents in the country, Netflix is quite optimistic about its plans, thanks to the last summer agreement between HBO and Amediateka.

However, legally Netflix won’t be able to operate independently and reach Russian audience unless it forms a joint venture with a local firm which will also have a majority stake in the partnership. It is believed that Netflix may abandon its standalone services and collaborate with OTT services such as Ivi, Tvigle, and Tvzavr to embark on its plan.