Competition for Russia Today

From RussiaProfile.org Kim Andrew Elliott:

New Russian radio stations could compete with international stations. "Billionaire Alexander Lebedev announced his intention to set up two new Russian radio stations – one of which would broadcast in English. They would offer talk-based, 'public-service' style programs and be self consciously uninterested in chasing a profit. ... Lebedev’s comments (and they are so far little more than that—his press service declined to comment on the remarks) come months after the BBC Russian service came under fire from British Russia watchers for scaling back its broadcasts in favor of its Internet service. Is it possible that this new station could represent a resurgence of public service broadcasting? It will enter a market already dominated by Radio Svoboda [RFE/RL, on medium wave in Moscow], funded by the U.S. Congress, and Echo of Moscow, the outspoken opposition station that is funded by advertising, but is majority owned by Gazprom. ... But could it compete with Echo of Moscow or Radio Svoboda, the two analytical stations that tend to compete for the audience that is Moscow’s intelligentsia?" Roland Oliphant, RussiaProfile.org, 4 March 2009. Posted: 05 Mar 2009

Some initial thoughts:

• Russia Today is not even mentioned as a possible competitor in the heavily-saturated Russian market.
• Lebedev is an interesting character.  The Guardian describes him as "clearly a member of Russia's establishment [but] Lebedev has used his wealth to fashion a career as an independent political actor." 
• Will this new IB be broadcast in America, the U.K.?  

I look forward to watching RT ignore this story.  Prove me wrong.