Media Platform’s forecasts for 2007 put it at RUB280 mln

All media assets of the Company operating in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Murmansk Area are united now under Media Platform Group.
In the beginning of 2007 this media group was augmented with Monchegorsk company Sputnik (LLC), the publisher of The Kola Nickel corporate newspaper and the press service agent for Kola MMC (a subsidiary of MMC Norilsk Nickel).
As the final effort of this reorganization, a Norilsk subsidiary of Media Platform, Northern City Media Company (LLC), was amalgamated with The Polar News newspaper and a printing facility, both of which were the divisions of the MMC Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Branch.
“By spinning off its media assets into an independent entity, the Company will improve the  management of related costs, and open ways to providing targeted solutions for efficient media business development. The new business arrangement will also broaden the range of services being provided to consumers, make more flexible our response to market environment changes, allow for information products’ quality improvement, and increase profits in the advertising sector”, said Sergei Chernitsyn, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Media Platform LLC and PR Director of MMC Norilsk Nickel.
Media Platform LLC was created in 2005 as a consolidation centre for MMC Norilsk Nickel’s media assets. Today the group comprises a holding company of the same name based in Moscow, Northern City Media Company LLC (Norilsk), Telesphere Broadcast Corporation LLC (Krasnoyarsk), North-West Broadcasting LLC (Murmansk), and Sputnik LLC (Monchegorsk). These business units operate three regional TV channels, four radio stations, publish The Norilsk Nickel corporate magazine and The Kola Nickel newspaper, provide information services through The Taimyr Telegraph Agency. It means that Media Platform LLC works in all Russian regions where MMC Norilsk Nickel’s production plants are located: Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk, Monchegorsk and Murmansk.
Media Platform’s revenue in 2006 reached RUB140 mln, and forecasts for 2007 put it at RUB280 mln. Total number of  employees was 300 in 2006, and in 2007 it will increase to 450 as a result of Norilsk and Monchegorsk assets consolidation.