▁R TV i ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁special ▁programs ▁focused ▁on ▁Isra eli ▁politics ▁and ▁the ▁Russian - spe aking ▁communities ▁( for ▁example , ▁" This ▁Week ▁in ▁Israel ") ▁in ▁Israel ▁and ▁also ▁Germany ▁( with ▁the ▁program ▁" This ▁Week ▁in ▁Germany "). ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁O wn ership ▁The ▁channel ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁by ▁Vladimir ▁G us in sky ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁N TV ▁channel . ▁R TV I ▁was ▁owned ▁by ▁Russian ▁business man ▁Rus lan ▁S ok ol ov ▁who ▁bought ▁the ▁channel ▁from ▁its ▁founder ▁Vladimir ▁G us in sky ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁A ▁group ▁of ▁Isra eli ▁private ▁invest ors ▁purchased ▁R TV I ▁International ▁channel ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁Armen ia - born ▁American ▁M ika el ▁Isra ely an ▁() ▁became ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁Moscow ▁R TV I ▁studio . ▁ ▁Original ▁programming ▁R TV I ▁air s ▁daily ▁world ▁news , ▁current ▁affairs ▁programs ▁and ▁family ▁entertain ment . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁R TV I ▁broadcast s ▁by ▁satellite ▁and ▁cable ▁in ▁Europe , ▁Middle ▁East , ▁North ▁America , ▁South ▁America , ▁Asia ▁and ▁Australia . ▁R TV i ' s ▁European ▁feed ▁is ▁not ▁available ▁in ▁Russia ; ▁however , ▁all ▁broadcast s ▁are ▁available ▁online . ▁ ▁A udi ence ▁R TV I ' s ▁principal ▁audience ▁are ▁millions ▁of ▁Russian