Belarusians create Internet TV

Information about a new Internet TV channel ARU.TV appeared on the Internet recently. It is presented as “clever television” from Brest to Vladivistok.

What kind of TV is it and who organized the project?

ERB has phoned Pavel Marozau, one of the directors of the project “ARU.TV”.  He said that the main programmes would be author’s projects, cartoons, interviews, reports, documentaries and art. Something has already appeared on the website. A team of professional media specialists from different countries make the content.

Pavel Marosau: - We have interviews with experts from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, the EU and USA to have an overview of opinions from all over the wrold; we have a programme “Road Map” – about the things that will happen to us in the future, animation and “Art” – a programme of art documentaries and videos. A programme “Pschychopolis” will appear soon, it will be dedicated to problems of ordinary people in big cities.



This is really a new project for Belarus, thinks Pavel. There were things people tried to do in traditional mass media. However, the Internet TV gives an opportunity to combine a professional approach with freedom. The project is meant for educated young people from Belarus and from all over the CIS.



The website of the new television is available in several languages including Belarusian – “Belarus in Belarusian”, “Belarus in Russian” and an English version. The Russian version has more information at the moment, but the others are also developing. You can put all the videos in your blog and even download high quality materials.

The plan of the project includes broadcasting in cable TV networks and it is too early to speak about a satellite. Pavel Marozau does not think ARU.TV is a rival of Belsat:

- I think we have different goals in the first place, we are not rivals, we supplement each other because Belsat is for a certain audience – for those who have satellite dishes, for Belarusian-speaking Belarusians. Our audience is a bit bigger and even if our viewers intersect a bit, it is not to the detriment of Belsat.


 


The project is being actively advertized on the Internet, in social networks and traditional mass media now. It is too early to comment on its effectiveness.

- The channel is developing and it will be possible to make some in-between conclusions by the New Year’ Day. Now we are working to make people get used to us. Our great advantage is the fact we all originate from the public sector of journalism and we have good contacts with interesting people so we can always expect interesting people ad we will try hard.




According to media experts from all over the world, Internet television is the television of the future. The peculiarity of ARU.TV is the fact that the channel is owned by influential young Belarusians.

ERB’s note:

Paval Marozau, 31 years old

Graduated from Belarusian State Economic University where he studied banking (2000), went through a post-graduate course in finance and credits in BSEU (2004) and became a Master of political science in EHU (2004).
The founder of the “Third Way” association, one of the founders of “Multclub”, had to immigrate to Estonia in connection with his activity after the Belarusian authorities had failed an attempt to arrest him in Minsk.
The founder of civil association “New way for Belarus”, initiator of creation of the Congress of the new Belarusian diaspora of Europe and the USA, a member of BPR council, participant of the project “Liberal club”. Gives lectures on situation in Belarus.