Azhur Media

What Azhur Media does

Azhur Media (AO Azhur-media) is a St. Petersburg-based private media operator founded in 2000, best known as the owner and publisher of Fontanka.ru, one of the leading online news portals in St. Petersburg. The company operates within the Shkulev Media Holding network and holds Roskomnadzor media registration granted in 2016, formalizing its status as an accredited Russian media outlet. Its chief editor is Aleksandr Lvovich Gorshkov, and the legal entity is reported at 1–10 employees, although the broader editorial and event operations almost certainly extend beyond that legal headcount figure.

Beyond the core Fontanka.ru news property, Azhur Media runs a portfolio of sub-brands spanning health (DoctorPiter), business analytics (Fontanka PRO), tourism (Silver Way, (Ot)Lichny Peterburg), live events (Fontanka SUP, ZSD Fontanka Fest), city ratings (Fontanka Rating), and an events platform (Fontanka GO). Distribution is multi-platform across web and native apps on iOS, Android, and Huawei AppGallery, and the company maintains partnerships with Beeline (PAO VympelCom) for technology integration and with the Committee for Tourism Development of Saint Petersburg for tourism initiatives.

The business model is anchored in digital advertising (signaled by a dedicated ad-sales contact channel), supplemented by event sponsorship and ticketing, tourism partnerships with municipal authorities, and content monetization across its vertical sub-brands. No revenue, traffic, or paying-user figures are publicly disclosed, and the company shows no documented AI/ML capabilities, patents, or proprietary technology stack beyond standard CMS-driven publishing and mobile applications.

Name

Azhur Media

Legal name

AO Azhur-media (АО Ажур-медиа)

Website

https://fontanka.ru

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Azhur Media is a St. Petersburg-based private media operator founded in 2000 that publishes Fontanka.ru and a portfolio of sub-brands spanning health, business analytics, tourism, live events, and city rankings for Russian regional audiences and advertisers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online News Media

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

News & Current Affairs Aggregators (MPACAKAA), News Streaming Platforms (MPACAAAF)

Keywords

• Online news portal
• Regional digital media
• City news journalism
• Multimedia news coverage
• Digital publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Petersburg

HQ country

Russia

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Azhur Media (AO Azhur-media) operates the Fontanka.ru online news portal, a Saint Petersburg-based digital news publication covering local, regional, national, and international news across politics, business, society, culture, sports, real estate, and tourism. The company publishes original editorial content on its website, mobile apps, and social channels, and operates a portfolio of niche sub-projects including business analytics, health news, tourism guides, and city events.

Product overview

Azhur Media operates Fontanka.ru as a multi-platform media ecosystem consisting of a main news portal and numerous specialized sub-projects. The core product is the Fontanka.ru news website covering St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast news. Supporting the main portal are specialized verticals including Fontanka PRO (business analytics), DoctorPiter.ru (health), (Ot)Lichny Peterburg (tourism guide), and Fontanka SUP (events). The portfolio also includes mobile applications for iOS, Android, and Huawei platforms, extending the brand's reach to mobile users. The company also organizes signature events like the Fontanka SUP paddleboarding festival and ZSD Fontanka Fest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fontanka PRO: Business and analysis section covering industry news and market insights
• Fontanka SUP
• Doctor Piter
• (От)Личный Петербург
• ЗСД Фонтанка Фест
• Фонтанка SUP
• Fontanka.digital

Products and services

• Fontanka.ru (Фонтанка.ру) Leading St. Petersburg-based online news portal covering local, regional, national, and international news including politics, business, society, incidents, sports, culture, real estate, technology, tourism, and finance. Available freely to the general public at fontanka.ru and via mobile applications.
• Fontanka PRO (Фонтанка PRO) Business and analytical content section of Fontanka covering business news, market analytics, industry reports, and professional-grade journalism aimed at readers in St. Petersburg and Northwestern Russia.
• Doctor Piter (Доктор Питер) Health and medical information portal serving St. Petersburg residents with healthcare news, doctor interviews, medical articles, and condition-specific reporting.
• (Ot)Lichny Peterburg ((от)Личный Петербург) Tourism and lifestyle guide project covering St. Petersburg attractions, recommendations, and local experiences, co-branded with the St. Petersburg Tourism Development Committee.
• Fontanka SUP (Фонтанка SUP) Paddleboarding festival and event brand organized by Fontanka, which holds a world record for number of participants and has won multiple awards in event tourism.
• ZSD Fontanka Fest (ЗСД Фонтанка Фест) Annual music and cultural festival organized by Fontanka, recognized as a top sports tourism event in St. Petersburg.
• Silver Way (Серебряное ожерелье) Travel project covering destinations along the Silver Ring of Russia with focus on Northwestern Russia tourism content and reporting.
• Fontanka GO Events and activities information platform covering cultural events, concerts, and activities in St. Petersburg.
• Fontanka Rating (Рейтинги Фонтанки) Annual city ratings and rankings project covering top companies, employers, and influential organizations in St. Petersburg.
• Fontanka Mobile Application Native mobile applications for iOS (App Store), Android (Google Play, RuStore), and Huawei (App Gallery) providing news access and push notifications to readers.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Shkulev Media HoldingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFontanka.ru operates as part of the Shkulev Media Holding network, which includes city portals across Russia. The outlet also collaborates with the St. Petersburg Tourism Development Committee on joint projects like the (Ot)Lichny Peterburg guide.
• Committee for Tourism Development of St. PetersburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint implementation of the (Ot)Lichny Peterburg tourist guide project, co-branded with the St. Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Moika78: St. Petersburg regional online news outlet covering city news and incidents. Closest geographic peer, directly competing for St. Petersburg readers and local advertising spend.
• RBC (RosBusinessConsulting): Leading Russian business news and information portal. Overlaps with Fontanka PRO's business analytics focus and competes for business audiences and B2B advertising in the Russian digital news space.
• Kommersant: Major Russian daily newspaper with strong digital presence covering business, politics, and current affairs. Comparable newsroom model and audience targeting as Fontanka.ru, particularly through its online edition.
• 47news: Online news outlet covering Leningrad Oblast and St. Petersburg region. Directly comparable regional focus and news format, competing for the same Northwestern Russia audience.
• Delovoy Peterburg (DP.ru): St. Petersburg-focused business newspaper and online portal. Directly competes with Fontanka.ru and Fontanka PRO for the St. Petersburg business audience and regional B2B advertising.
• Gazeta.ru: Russian online news publication covering politics, business, and society. Operates with a similar digital news portal model and competes for the same Russian-speaking digital advertising budgets as Fontanka.ru.
• Lenta.ru: Major Russian online news portal covering national and international news. Both Lenta.ru and Fontanka.ru are digital-first news publishers operating in the Russian online media market with similar content formats and advertising-based monetization.

Broad incumbents

• RIA Novosti: Major Russian state-owned news agency with comprehensive online news coverage. Operates at a national scale far beyond Fontanka.ru's regional focus but competes for the same Russian digital news audience and ad budgets.

Others

• Shkulev Holding sister outlets (E1.ru, NGS.ru): Other regional city portals in Shkulev Media Holding's network (e.g., E1.ru in Yekaterinburg, NGS.ru in Novosibirsk). Same parent network and operating model, representing internal peers within the holding structure.

Emerging players

• Bumaga (Бумага): St. Petersburg-based independent online media outlet with strong digital-native editorial focus. Targets a younger urban audience in the same St. Petersburg market as Fontanka, though with a more lifestyle and cultural bent.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fontanka_spb
• Facebookfacebook.com/fontanka.ru
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agency-of-investigative-reporters-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Azhur Media