Vegetarian TV channel to launch in Russia

Being vegetarian in Russia is not always an easy task, but the country’s herbivores are set to get their own TV channel by the end of the month.

Launched by media group Max Media, “First Vegetarian” will start broadcasting on 25 July. The channel will be devoted both to vegetarianism and healthy lifestyles more generally, with 40 per cent of programmes produced in-house.

For those residents who know the frustration of the near inevitable discovery that your “vegetarian” soup is made with meat stock, the future of this venture doesn’t look too bright. Max Media director Yevgeniya Abramson is optimistic, however.

“In Russia, about 4 per cent of the population support vegetarianism. Data on the number people who adhere to a healthy lifestyle varies, standing at approximately 10 — 15 per cent of the population. Thus, the potential audience of the First Vegetarian TV channel in Russia is more than 25.5 million people,” she told Afisha.

Source: Afisha (in Russian)