Two major Russian Internet groups – Rambler-Afisha and SUP Media – have announced plans to merge, creating an entity that will have a combined audience of 35 million users. The financial terms of the merger have not been disclosed.
The two firms claim they will have the third-largest Internet audience in Russia after the merger – behind Yandex and Mail.ru Group – with each of those attracting each month almost 60 million users from Russia. The figures, however, omit any mention of Vkontakte’s 50 million users.
The Rambler-Afisha group controls a number of online media outlets, including Afisha.ru, Lenta.ru and Motor.ru, as well as contextual advertising service Begun. Another property of the group, Rambler.ru, positions itself as a media tech platform, aggregating content from 2,000 publishers across the country.
The group was formed in 2010 by merging the Internet assets of its main shareholder, ProfMedia, which is owned by Russian tycoon Vladimir Potanin. ProfMedia’s portfolio also includes TV channels TV3, MTV Russia, and 2×2 as well as several radio stations and film companies.
SUP Media is the parent company of international blogging platform Livejournal. It also owns Gazeta.ru and Championat.com among other titles, as well as +Sol, a leading online media sales house.
SUP Media’s head, Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut, will take up the role of managing shareholder and chairman of the board of directors for the new company.
