January 13, 2004, New York – Rainbow Media Holdings LLC today announced the availability of a new Russian language subscriber video-on-demand service that provides programming in Russian directly from the country of origin to local cable subscribers. The service, called World Picks Russian On Demand, provides a unique link for New York area Russian residents to reconnect with their former homelands. World Picks Russian On Demand is currently available on Cablevision's iO digital cable service in select areas of Brooklyn, Bronx, Newark and Hudson County, NJ.
Each month World Picks Russian On Demand provides 20 hours of Russian language programming to local viewers. The service features the area's most widely varied in-language offering from films to cultural programming to language instruction to famed interview series.
World Picks Russian On Demand utilizes digital technology to allow viewers to have complete control of the programming. Just like using a DVD or VHS player, customers can pause, stop, play, fast-forward and rewind on-demand programming at any time of the day or night. The World Picks Russian On Demand service includes programming such as:
- Talk Shows: Top-rated chat shows including Riga's Balm hosted by Svetlanna Ivannikoa and Igor Pronin, and Night Flight hosted by Andrew Maksimov.
- Variety Specials: From classical, such as Vitas at the Kremlin, to the popular music and comedy of the Oskar Feltsman Gala.
- Movies: The best in Russian-language/Russian-produced fare, including Kirill Lavrov in Dyadya Vanya, Yuliush Makhulsky in D