Russian station beams to Israel

MOSCOW, July 13 (JTA) — A Russian television channel has begun regular broadcasts to Israel, where it hopes to attract the Jewish state’s large population of emigres from the former Soviet Union. The independent NTV television station has an audience of 120 million across the former Soviet Union. It recently unveiled plans to expand its Russian-language broadcasts to Western Europe and the Middle East. NTV is a part of Russia’s leading media empire, Media MOST, which is headed by Vladimir Goussinsky, who also serves as president of the Russian Jewish Congress.