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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES 
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2.     BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

        The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 1, 2011. The Company's significant accounting policies and estimates have not changed since December 31, 2010. In addition to the policies that existed at December 31, 2010 effective January 1, 2011, the Company established a revenue recognition policy to reflect recent changes in its sales structure to account for advertising sales made directly to advertisers and their agencies under new sales arrangements with them. (See "Revenue recognition" below and Note 11).

Basis of Presentation

        The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2011.

        The condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2010 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for the complete financial statements.

        For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

Principles of Consolidation

        Wholly owned subsidiaries and majority owned ventures where the Company has operating and financial control, as well as variable interest entities where the Company has been deemed the primary beneficiary with power and ability to control, are consolidated. Those ventures where the Company exercises significant influence, but does not exercise operating and financial control, are accounted for under the equity method. The Company uses the purchase method of accounting for all business combinations. Results of subsidiaries acquired and accounted for under the purchase method are included in operations from the date of acquisition. Noncontrolling interests represent a noncontrolling shareholder's proportionate share of the equity in certain of the Company's consolidated entities. Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated upon consolidation. Disposals are reflected at the time risks and rewards of ownership have been transferred.

        The Company is the primary beneficiary of the Channel 31 Group, a variable interest entity consisting of a 20% participation interest in Teleradiokompaniya 31st Kanal LLP ("Channel 31"), and a 70% and 60% interest in Prim LLP and Advertising and Marketing LLP, respectively, which provide programming content and the advertising sales function to Channel 31 (together, the "Channel 31 Group"). These interests provide the Company with a right to 60% of the economic interest of the Channel 31 Group. The Company consolidates the Channel 31 Group. As of September 30, 2011, the Channel 31 Group had assets (excluding intercompany assets) totaling $24,360 and liabilities (excluding intercompany liabilities) totaling $15,344. These assets and liabilities primarily relate to broadcasting licenses, and the related deferred tax liabilities and tax contingencies assumed at acquisition of the Channel 31 Group. The Company finances the Channel 31 Group's operations during the ordinary course of business. As of September 30, 2011 the amount of intercompany payables of the Channel 31 Group totaled $5,779. Channel 31 Group's net (loss)/income attributable to CTC Media, Inc. stockholders totaled ($480) and $158 for the three- and nine-months periods ended September 30, 2011, respectively. These amounts include intercompany expenses of $418 and $564, respectively.

Seasonality

        The Company experiences seasonal fluctuations in overall television viewership and advertising revenues. Overall television viewership is lower during the summer months and highest in the fourth quarter.

Business Segments

        The Company operates in eight business segments—CTC Network, Domashny Network, DTV Network, CTC Television Station Group, Domashny Television Station Group, DTV Television Station Group, CIS Group and Production Group. The Company evaluates performance based on the operating results of each segment, among other performance measures (Note 12).

Use of Estimates

        The preparation of financial statements in conformity with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates in the financial statements include, among others, the estimate of fair values in business combinations, estimates of the fair value of the Company's common stock in determining stock-based compensation, the amortization method and periods for programming rights and sublicensing rights, useful lives of tangible and intangible assets, impairment of goodwill, valuation of indefinite-lived intangible assets and long-lived assets, estimates of contingencies, and the determination of valuation allowances for deferred tax assets. Consequently, actual results may differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

        Revenue is recognized when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, advertising services have been rendered, the price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. The Company recognizes advertising revenues at the moment when the advertising is broadcast and net of Value Added Taxes ("VAT").

        Historically, the Company's advertising was not generally placed directly with advertisers. Video International placed the Company's advertising on an exclusive basis under agency agreements. Based on such relationships with advertisers and Video International in place prior to 2011, the Company recognized the commissions paid to Video International as an offset to revenue as opposed to an expense incurred ("net basis").

        Effective January 1, 2011, the Company terminated its agency agreements with Video International in respect of its network sales and sales from regional advertising placed by Moscow-based clients, and implemented a new structure for the sale of its advertising. The Company's own sales house now serves as the exclusive advertising sales agent for all of the Company's networks in Russia. The advertising is placed with advertisers and their agencies under direct sales arrangements with them. The Company's sales house is primarily responsible for all of the Company's national and regional advertising sales, with the exception of advertising sales to local clients of the Company's regional stations, which continue to be made through Video International.

        The Company has also implemented a new model of cooperation with Video International based on the licensing of specialized advertising software by Video International to its sales house, together with the provision by Video International of related software maintenance and analytical support and consulting services.

        Effective January 1, 2011, following this change in its sales structure, the Company recognizes Russian advertising revenues, excluding regional advertising revenues from local clients, based on the gross amount billed to the advertisers under direct sales arrangements. Compensation expenses payable to Video International for use of advertising software, related maintenance and analytical support and consulting services are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of income. Advertising sales to local clients under agency agreements with Video International continue to be recognized net of agency commissions. See "Comparative figures" below and Note 11.

        Sublicensing, own production and other revenue primarily represent revenue the Company earns from sublicensing its rights to programming and from licensing of internally-produced programming. Sublicensing and own production revenue is recognized at such time as there is persuasive evidence that a sale or arrangement with a customer exists, the underlying programming is complete and has been transferred to the customer, the licensing period has commenced and the customer can begin exploitation, the arrangement fee is fixed or determinable, and collection of the arrangement fee is reasonably assured.

        Payments received in advance for advertising and other revenue are recorded as deferred revenue until earned.

Fair Value Measurements

        Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The fair value hierarchy prescribed by the standard contains three levels as follows:

        Level 1—Unadjusted quoted prices that are available in active markets for the identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

        Level 2—Other observable inputs available at the measurement date, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, either directly or indirectly, including: (1) quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; (2) quoted prices for identical or similar assets in non-active markets; (3) inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability; and (4) inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by other observable market data.

        Level 3—Unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by observable market data and reflect the use of significant management judgment. These values are generally determined using pricing models for which the assumptions utilize management's estimates of market participant assumptions.

        In the nine months ended September 30, 2011, the Company applied fair value measurements for its broadcasting assets and liabilities in purchase price allocations, and as part of impairment tests, using inputs of Level 3. There were no transfers between categories during the periods presented.

        As result of impairment review performed at September 30, 2011, broadcasting licenses with carrying amounts totaling $46,917 were written down to their fair values totaling $41,210, resulting in impairment charges of $5,707 which were included in earnings for the period. See also "Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets Impairment Tests" below.

        The carrying amounts of the Company's financial instruments, which include cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate their fair value as of December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, respectively.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets Impairment Tests

        Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are reviewed for impairment annually, in the fourth quarter, or between annual tests if events or changes in circumstances indicate that an asset might be impaired. Outside the annual review, there are a number of factors which could trigger an impairment review and these could include:

  • under-performance of operating segments or changes in projected results;

    changes in the manner of utilization of an asset;

    severe and sustained declines in the traded price of the Company's common stock that are not attributable to factors other than the underlying value of its assets;

    negative market conditions or economic trends; and

    specific events, such as new legislation, new market entrants, changes in technology or adverse legal judgments that the Company believes could have a negative impact on its business.

        The Company determines whether an impairment of goodwill has occurred by assigning goodwill to the reporting units and comparing the carrying amount of the entire reporting unit to the estimated fair value based on discounted cash flows of the reporting unit (Step 1). If the carrying value of the reporting unit is more than the estimated fair value of the reporting unit, the Company compares the implied fair value of goodwill based on a hypothetical purchase price allocation to the carrying value of the goodwill (Step 2). If the carrying value of goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of goodwill based on Step 2, goodwill impairment is deemed to have occurred, and the Company recognizes a loss for the difference between the carrying amount and the implied fair value of goodwill. Prior to testing goodwill for impairment, the Company compares fair values of indefinite-lived intangible assets with their carrying values to determine whether the assets might be impaired. The Company has determined that its reporting units are the same as its operating segments.

        Indefinite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for impairment by comparing the fair value of the asset to its carrying value. Any excess of the carrying value over the fair value is recognized as an impairment charge. Broadcasting licenses and tradenames are evaluated at the individual asset level.

        Assessing goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment is a process that requires significant judgment and involves detailed quantitative and qualitative business-specific analysis and many individual assumptions which fluctuate with the passage of time.

        The Company's estimate of the cash flows its operations will generate in future periods forms the basis for most of the significant assumptions inherent in the impairment reviews. The Company's expectations of these cash flows are developed during its long- and short-range business planning processes, which are designed to address the uncertainties inherent in the forecasting process by capturing a range of possible views about key trends which govern future cash flow growth.

        The Company has observed over many years a strong positive correlation between the macroeconomic performance of its markets and the size of the television advertising market and ultimately the cash flows the Company generates. With this in mind, the Company has placed a high importance on developing its expectations for the future development of the macroeconomic environment in general and the advertising market and the Company's share of it in particular. While this has involved an appreciation of historical trends, the Company has placed a higher emphasis on forecasting these market trends, which has involved detailed review of macroeconomic data and a range of both proprietary and publicly-available estimates for future market development.

        The Company determines the fair values calculated in impairment tests using free cash flow models involving assumptions that are based upon what the Company believes a hypothetical marketplace participant would use in estimating fair value on the measurement date. In valuing broadcasting licenses, the Company allocates cash flows that the licenses generate both from national and regional advertising using the "direct value" method. The most significant of the assumptions used in its valuations are discussed below:

  • Cost of capital: The cost of capital reflects the return a hypothetical market participant would require for a long-term investment in an asset and can be viewed as a proxy for the risk of that asset. The Company calculates the cost of capital according to the Capital Asset Pricing Model using a number of assumptions, the most significant of which is a Country Risk Premium ("CRP"). The CRP reflects the excess risk to an investor of investing in markets other than the United States and generally fluctuates with expectations of changes in a country's macroeconomic environment. If the Russian macroeconomic environment becomes less stable and the risk to investors investing in Russian markets increases, the cost of capital may increase, which in turn will decrease the fair value of the respective assets or reporting units. Additionally, changes in the financial markets, such as an increase in interest rates or an increase in the expected required return on equity by market participants within the industry, could increase the discount rate, thus decreasing the fair value of assets. The cost of capital used by the Company in its analysis ranged from 13.5% to 18.4% as of December 31, 2010, and from 13.4% to 17.7% as of September 30, 2011, based on the level of risk related to each particular asset or reporting unit.

    Growth rate into perpetuity: Growth rate into perpetuity reflects the level of economic growth in each of the Company's markets from the last forecasted period into perpetuity and is the sum of an estimated real growth rate, which reflects the long-term expectations for inflation. These assumptions are inherently uncertain. The growth rate into perpetuity used by the Company in its analysis as of December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011 was 4.0% and 2.5%, respectively. In its calculations, the perpetuity period starts after nine years. The Company's estimates of these rates are based on observable market data.

    Total advertising market: The size of the television advertising market effectively places an upper limit on the advertising revenue the Company can expect to earn. The Company's estimate of the total advertising market is developed from a number of external sources, in combination with a process of on-going consultation with operational management. In general, expenditures by advertisers tend to reflect overall economic conditions and buying patterns. Although economic conditions generally improved in 2010, and the valuation model used by the Company assumes the recovery from the downturn in the economy, which started in the middle of 2008, considerable uncertainty remains concerning economic stability globally in the medium-term. The instability in the macroeconomic environment may further adversely affect the total advertising market, and in turn, the fair values of the respective assets or reporting units. See "—Impairment reviews as of December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011—goodwill and broadcasting licenses" below.

    Allocation of cash flows from national advertising to broadcasting licenses: Regional stations broadcast programming received by satellite from the Networks, including national advertising. Therefore, the Company's regional broadcasting licenses generate revenues for the Company at the Networks level. Russian television viewing data, including ratings, audience shares and related metrics, are currently gathered by TNS Russia. The TNS measurement system uses internationally recognized methods and is the standard currently used by all major television broadcasters, advertisers and advertising agencies in Russia. The audience rating for any channel is measured based on the ratings in cities included in a panel measured by TNS. The Company's assumptions regarding the share of national revenue generated by each of its broadcasting licenses are developed from a number of external sources, in combination with a process of on-going consultation with operational management. If the system of audience measurement were to change or the weighting of the panel of cities were to change in a manner that increased the weight in areas where the Company does not have coverage, it could impact the fair value of our reporting units and broadcasting licenses by lowering the Company's ratings.

    Market shares: This assumption is a function of the audience share the Company expects to generate from its reporting units, and the relative price at which the Company can sell advertising. For broadcasting licenses, the Company estimates market shares based on assumptions related to the market participants potentially willing to acquire the station in each particular region. The Company's estimates of the market shares are developed from a number of external sources, in combination with a process of on-going consultation with operational management. If the Company's audience shares or ratings, or shares or ratings of market participants, were to fall as a result, for example, of competitive pressures, the underperformance of key programs, the failure to renew licenses, or a change in the method of measuring television audiences, this would likely result in a decrease in fair value of the respective reporting units/broadcasting licenses.

    Forecasted operating costs: The level of cash flow generated by each operation is ultimately governed by the extent to which the Company manages the relationship between revenues and costs. The Company forecasts the level of operating costs by reference to (a) the historical absolute and relative levels of costs the Company has incurred in generating revenue in each reporting unit and regional station, (b) the operating strategy of each business, (c) specific forecasted operating costs to be incurred and (d) expectations as to what these costs would be for an average market participant. The Company's estimates of forecasted operating costs are developed from a number of external sources, in combination with a process of on-going consultation with operational management. These forecasts could vary from the Company's projections.

    Forecasted capital expenditure: The size and phasing of capital expenditure, both recurring expenditure to replace retired assets and investments in new projects, has a significant impact on cash flows. The Company forecasts the level of future capital expenditure based on current strategies and specific forecast costs to be incurred, as well as expectations on what these costs would be like for an average market participant. The Company's estimate of forecasted capital expenditure is developed from a number of external sources, in combination with a process of on-going consultation with operational management. These forecasts could vary from the Company's projections.

        The Company believes that the values assigned to key assumptions and estimates described above represent the most realistic assessment of future trends.

        As a result of impairment review performed as of September 30, 2011, the Company recorded impairment charges of $16,843 comprised of $5,707 on regional broadcasting licenses, and $11,136 on the DTV trade name. See below.

  • Impairment reviews as of December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011- goodwill and broadcasting licenses

        In the fourth quarter of 2010, the Company performed its annual goodwill and indefinite lives intangibles impairment review, which did not result in any impairment charges.

        In the annual impairment review performed at December 31, 2010, the Company concluded that the fair values of its reporting units and long-lived assets had increased, when compared to 2009 and 2008, reflecting the improved macroeconomic conditions from the downturn in the economy that started in 2008. Although conditions generally improved in 2010, and the Company's valuation model took into account those improvements, considerable uncertainty remains concerning global economic stability in the medium-term (2012-2015). Many of the largest advertisers in the Russian market, including many of the largest advertisers on CTC, Domashny and DTV, are multinational companies that sell consumer products on a worldwide basis. If Russia experiences significant economic instability or uncertainty, these companies may choose to reduce their advertising spending in Russia. In the third quarter of 2011, some large advertisers have reduced their initially planned advertising expenditures for 2011 as a whole. Although the Company continues to project future long-term growth in cash flows, such growth is lower than that assumed in the impairment reviews performed as of December 31, 2010 and the first half of 2011, primarily due to more conservative forecast for advertising market growth for 2012 and thereafter. As the result of impairment review performed at September 30, 2011, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges totaling $5,707 related to several regional broadcasting licenses (most of them acquired in 2007-2008), primarily due to a decrease in cash flows projections.

        The DTV Network reporting unit, DTV umbrella broadcasting license and certain regional broadcasting licenses are the most sensitive to changes in the television advertising growth assumptions. In addition, the DTV Network reporting unit and DTV umbrella broadcasting license are sensitive to DTV's audience share assumptions. During the nine months of 2011, the audience share of DTV channel was below the forecasted audience share, as a result of increased competition and underperformance of certain programs. This relative underperformance resulted in a corresponding decrease in forecasted future audience share. As the result of the impairment review performed as of September 30, 2011, the Company concluded that fair values of the DTV reporting unit, DTV broadcasting licenses and other regional broadcasting licenses (other than those described above) exceeded their carrying values. However, due to the revision of forecasted operating results in response to decreased DTV's audience share forecast and decreased forecast in advertising market growth for 2012 and in the medium-term, the excess of fair values over carrying values of the DTV reporting unit and its broadcasting umbrella license decreased from 33% and 24% to 5% and 15%, respectively, when compared with the fair values estimated during the annual 2010 impairment tests.

        The table below represents the carrying values of the Company's indefinite lived assets, for which a hypothetical 10% and 15% decrease in the fair value of each indefinite lived asset/or reporting unit would have resulted in additional impairment:

 
  Carrying amount of assets, as of
September 30, 2011, for which
hypothetical 10% and 15% decrease
in the fair value of each asset/
reporting unit would have resulted in
additional impairment:
 
 
  10%   15%  

Broadcasting licenses:

             

DTV umbrella license

  $   $ 53,974  

DTV regional licenses

    23,386     23,386  

CTC regional licenses

    21,794     26,601  

HTV regional licenses

    9,031     13,838  

DTV Network's goodwill:

   
130,836
   
130,836
 
           

Total

  $ 185,047   $ 248,635  
           

        Other than with respect to the assets/or reporting units identified above, a hypothetical 10% and 15% decreases in the fair value of each indefinite lived asset/or reporting unit would not have resulted in additional impairment.

        The Company's estimate of the total advertising market for 2012 and thereafter is highly dependent on the changing macroeconomic environment. There is considerable uncertainty concerning economic stability globally in the medium-term, including uncertainty over the impact of changes in global economy to Russian television advertising market. The Company used forecasts of Russian television advertising market growth based on all available internal and external estimates, including estimates of industry experts and analysts and publicly available information disclosed by other media agencies. In order to check the reasonableness of the fair values implied by cash flow estimates, the Company also calculates the value of its common stock implied by its cash flow forecasts and compares this to actual traded values. As of September 30, 2011, the Company's consolidated net book value (or shareholders' equity) amounted to $761,829 (after the impairment charges recorded in the third quarter as a result of impairment review, as described above). This compares to a market capitalization of the Company as of September 30, 2011 of approximately $1,400,149.

        The potential negative trends in the macroeconomic environment may further adversely affect the total Russian television advertising market and, in turn, the fair values of the respective assets or reporting units. Any further decrease in advertising market forecast could result in decreases of these assets' fair values and the Company would then record additional impairment charges. In order to evaluate the sensitivity of the fair value calculations in its impairment analysis, the Company applied hypothetical 5, 10 and 15 percentage points decreases to the 2012 television advertising market growth forecast:

 
  Impairment charge that could
be recorded if 2012
advertising market growth
forecast is lower by:
 
 
  5 pp   10 pp   15 pp  

Broadcasting licenses*:

                   

DTV umbrella license

  $ 4,498   $ 17,122   $ 29,746  

CTC regional licenses

    1,276     4,000     5,329  

HTV regional licenses

    533     1,072     1,806  

DTV regional licenses

    1,038     2,063     3,338  

DTV Network's goodwill:

   
23,006
   
51,589
   
80,171
 
               

Total

  $ 30,351   $ 75,846   $ 120,390  
               

*
pre-tax effect

        The sensitivity analysis assumes a hypothetical change in advertising market growth with all other variables constant, i.e. it does not consider the effect of changes on other key assumptions; in practice, changes in other key assumptions could magnify or counteract the sensitivities. In addition, the sensitivity analysis does not consider any corrective action that the Company may take to mitigate the impact of any adverse changes in the advertising market growth.

        Also, the fair value estimates are highly sensitive to the cost of capital used by the Company in discounting of expected cash flows attributable to indefinite-lived assets and reporting units. The potential negative trends in the macroeconomic environment could increase risk to investors investing in Russian markets, which could increase the cost of capital, which in turn will decrease the fair value of the respective assets or reporting units. Additionally, changes in the financial markets, such as an increase in interest rates or an increase in the expected required return on equity by market participants within the industry, could increase the discount rate, thus decreasing the fair value of assets. The cost of capital used by the Company in its analysis ranged from 13.5% to 18.4% as of December 31, 2010 and 13.4% to 17.7% as of September 30, 2011, based on the level of risk related to each particular asset or reporting unit.

        In order to evaluate the sensitivity of the fair value calculations in its impairment analysis, the Company applied a hypothetical 3 percentage points increase to the cost of capital used:

 
  Impairment charge
that could be
recorded if cost of
capital is higher
by 3 pp
 

Broadcasting licenses*:

       

DTV umbrella license

  $ 8,060  

CTC regional licenses

    5,302  

HTV regional licenses

    2,625  

DTV regional licenses

    4,981  

DTV Network's goodwill:

   
32,476
 
       

Total

  $ 53,444  
       

*
pre-tax effect

        The sensitivity analysis assumes a hypothetical change in cost of capital with all other variables constant, i.e. it does not consider the effect of changes in other key assumptions; in practice, changes in other key assumptions could magnify or counteract the sensitivities.

        In addition, the level of advertising revenues that the Company earns is directly tied to its audience shares and ratings. The DTV Network reporting unit and DTV broadcasting umbrella license are the most sensitive to changes in the assumptions of the audience share. During the nine months ended September 30, 2011, the audience share of DTV channel was below the forecasted audience share, as a result of increased competition and underperformance of certain programs. If DTV's audience shares were to decrease further and/or fall behind the currently forecasted growth of audience share as a result, for example, of additional competitive pressures or the underperformance of key programs, this could result in a further decrease in the fair value of the DTV reporting unit and/or its broadcasting license. In order to evaluate the sensitivity of the fair value calculations on its impairment analysis, the Company applied a hypothetical 10% decrease to the forecasted audience share of the DTV channel. If the DTV forecasted audience share were lower by 10%, the Company would have recognized impairment charge in respect of the DTV Network reporting unit's goodwill and broadcasting umbrella license, respectively, of approximately $23,397 and $20,931. The sensitivity analysis assumes a hypothetical change in audience share forecast, and it does not consider the effect of changes on other key assumptions; in practice, changes in other key assumptions could magnify or counteract the sensitivities. In addition, the sensitivity analysis does not consider any corrective action that the Company may take to mitigate the impact of any adverse changes in the audience share.

        Although management considered all current information in the impairment reviews, any future changes in events or circumstances, such as adverse changes in the economy and television advertising market (discussed above), the planned transition to digital broadcasting, further decreases in audience shares or ratings, increased competition from cable providers, or changes in the audience measurement system, could result in decreases in the fair value of the Company's intangible assets and may require the Company to record additional impairment charges in future periods. If DTV's audience shares were to decrease further and/or fall behind the currently forecasted growth of audience share as a result, for example, of additional competitive pressures or the underperformance of key programs, this could result in a further decrease in the fair value of the DTV reporting unit and/or its broadcasting license.

  • Impairment reviews as of September 30, 2011- DTV trade name

        As a result of ongoing strategic review of the positioning of the DTV channel, the Company's management initiated changes to the channel's brand identity. Effective October 2011, the DTV Network operates under a new brand—"Peretz". As a result of this rebranding initiative, in the third quarter of 2011, the Company recorded a trade name impairment charge in respect of the carrying value of the DTV trade name in the amount of $11,136.

  • Cash and Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

        The Company classifies cash on hand and deposits in banks and any other investments with an original maturity of 90 days or less as cash and cash equivalents. Deposits in banks with an original maturity ranging from 91 to 365 days are classified as short-term investments.

        As of December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, the Company held cash and deposits with a maturity of 90 days and less of $57,452 and $55,157, respectively, in Russian banks, including subsidiaries of foreign banks.

        In addition, the Company had deposits with a maturity of more than 90 days in the amount of $117,457 and $75,314 in Russian banks as of December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, respectively. As of September 30, 2011, the amount of deposits included ruble-denominated deposits of $60,314, bearing interest ranging from 3.65% to 6.8%, and US dollar-denominated deposits of $15,000, bearing interest of 2.1% . Management periodically reviews the creditworthiness of the banks in which it holds its cash.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

        Accounts receivable are shown at their net realizable value which approximates their fair value.

        The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts receivable based on specific identification and management estimates of recoverability. In cases where the Company is aware of circumstances which may impair a receivable, the Company records a specific allowance against amounts due, and thereby reduces the net recognized receivable to the amount the Company believes will be collected. In addition to the allowance for specific doubtful accounts, the Company applies specific rates to overdue balances depending on the history of cash collections and future expectations of conditions that might impact the collectability of accounts receivable.

        If all collection efforts have been exhausted, the receivable is written off against the allowance. The Company's credit policy does not require it to enter into any netting agreements or collateral from customers.

Comparative Figures

        In 2010, the Company recognized advertising revenues net of Value Added Taxes ("VAT") and accrued sales commissions payable to Video International. Starting from January 1, 2011, the Company no longer pays sales commissions to Video International following implementation of a new model of cooperation with Video International at the Network level and at Television Station Groups in respect of Moscow-based clients. Under the terms of the new agreement, the Company pays Video International fees for the use of its advertising software package and for services rendered such as maintenance of the software package, technical support, and consulting along with integration of the software and Russian advertising market analytical services. Such compensation payable to Video International from January 1, 2011 is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of income. In the three months ended September 30, 2011, the amount of such compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expenses was $16,424, compared with Video International commission fees of $16,590 recorded as a deduction to advertising revenue in the three months ending September 30, 2010. In the nine months ended September 30, 2011, the amount of such compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expenses was $56,751 compared with Video International commission fees of $50,440 recorded as a deduction to advertising revenue in the nine months ending September 30, 2010. See "Revenue Recognition" above and Note 11.

        Also, reclassifications have been made to the prior period consolidated financial statements to conform to the current period presentation.

New Accounting Pronouncements

        In January 2010, the FASB issued the Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2010-06, (ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures). This amendment has improved disclosures about fair value measurements on the basis of input received from the users of financial statements. This is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the disclosures related to purchases, sales, issuances, and settlements in the roll forward of activity in Level 3 fair value measurements. Those disclosures are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010, and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company has adopted this amendment. See Note 2—"Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets Impairment Tests".

        In April 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-13, an amendment to its stock-based compensation guidance to clarify that employee stock options that have exercise prices denominated in the currency of any market in which a substantial portion of the entity's equity securities trade should be classified as equity, assuming all other criteria for equity classification are met (EITF Issue 09-J; ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation). The amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning on or after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's financial statements.

        In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-29, an amendment to the disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations (EITF Issue 10-G; ASC 805, Business Combinations). This amendment specified that if a public entity presents comparative financial statements, the entity should disclose revenue and earnings of the combined entity as though the business combination(s) that occurred during the current year had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period only. The amendment also expanded the supplemental pro forma disclosures under ASC 805 to include a description of the nature and amount of material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the business combination included in the reported pro forma revenue and earnings. This is effective prospectively for business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2010. The Company has adopted this amendment.

        In December 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-28, an amendment to the goodwill impairment test for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts (EITF Issue 10-A; ASC 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other). The amendment affects all entities that have recognized goodwill and have one or more reporting units whose carrying amount for purposes of performing Step 1 of the goodwill impairment test is zero or negative. As a result, the amendment eliminates an entity's ability to assert that a reporting unit is not required to perform Step 2 because the carrying amount of the reporting unit is zero or negative despite the existence of qualitative factors that indicate the goodwill is more likely than not impaired. For public entities, the amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2010. Upon adoption of the amendments, an entity with reporting units that have carrying amounts that are zero or negative is required to assess whether it is more likely than not that the reporting units' goodwill is impaired. If the entity determines that it is more likely than not that the goodwill of one or more of its reporting units is impaired, the entity should perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test for those reporting unit(s). Any resulting goodwill impairment should be recorded as a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings in the period of adoption. Any goodwill impairments occurring after the initial adoption of the amendments should be included in earnings as required by Section 350-20-35. The adoption of this amendment did not have an impact on the Company's financial statements.

        In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, the amendments to achieve common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. The amendments represent clarifications of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, but also include some changes in particular principles and requirements for measuring fair value or disclosing information about fair value measurements. The amendments specify that the concepts of highest and best use and valuation premise in a fair value measurement are relevant only when measuring the fair value of nonfinancial assets and are not relevant when measuring the fair value of financial assets or of liabilities. The amendments include requirements specific to measuring the fair value of those instruments, such as equity interests issued as consideration in a business combination. The amendments clarify that a reporting entity should disclose quantitative information about the unobservable inputs used in a fair value measurement that is categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. The amendments result in common principles and requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. The amendments are to be applied prospectively. For public entities, the amendments are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Early application by public entities is not permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of the amendments to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

        In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, the amendments to ASC 220, Comprehensive Income. Under the amendments an entity has the option to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In both choices, an entity is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. The amendments eliminate the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity. The amendments do not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income or when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassified to net income. The amendments should be applied retrospectively. For public entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not expect the adoption of the amendments to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

        In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, the amendments to ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other. The amendments apply to all entities, both public and nonpublic, that have goodwill reported in their financial statements and simplify test goodwill for impairment. The amendments permit an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test described in ASC 350. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. Previous guidance ASC 350 required an entity to test goodwill for impairment, on at least an annual basis, by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill (step one). If the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the second step of the test must be performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. Under the amendments an entity is not required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. The amendments are effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted, including for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed as of a date before September 15, 2011, if an entity's financial statements for the most recent annual or interim period have not yet been issued or, for nonpublic entities, have not yet been made available for issuance. The Company will apply the amendments for reporting periods beginning after December 31, 2011.