I was going to start Netflix on my “smart” TV when I saw a banner inviting me to install a TV Rain (Дождь) app. For those of you who may not know this, TV Rain is an independent TV station in Russia. This inspired me to write about the ways someone living outside Russia can have access to Russian-language media without breaking the bank.

TV subscriptions

TV is a great and often low-effort way to be exposed to the language. Traditionally, you would need to get cable/satellite TV. While I don’t recommend paying for the whole bundle just to catch a few Russian channels, you may want to consider adding the Russian “package” if you already have a cable subscription. I cannot endorse any specific carrier — try searching for “Russian TV bundle” to see your local options.

Another option is watching Russian TV online or on your TV device. Just search for “Russian TV,” and you will get several options, from free to anywhere from 5 to 15 USD a month. The TV Rain (Дождь) channel is an example of such an app. After being dropped from cable TV, the channel has moved to a subscription model. If you would rather stick to free options, I would still install the app — they do have free videos. Check out these surprise performances by Russian musicians before New Year holidays.

Radio Streaming

Another low-effort way of having Russian play in the background is streaming radio online. One option is Nashe Radio (На́ше ра́дио), which plays Russian rock. You can build up your business and economy vocabulary in Russian by listening to Business FM. Radio Kultura covers arts and culture. Kommersant also has its own station.

You can also stream Russian stations through an app on your mobile device, for instance, TuneIn.

Podcasts

Finally, podcasts are a nice on-demand way to broaden your vocabulary and increase your comfort with spoken Russian. There are multiple Russian-language podcasts. Here is a list of technology and educational podcasts. TuneIn also has a list of best Russian podcasts. There are also podcasts for learners of Russian.

You can find further information about Russian media in our posts on DIY Russian Immersion, Russian TV shows, and Russian online. Happy immersion!