On Tuesday, NTV-plus purchased exclusive rights from the Russian Football Union (RFU) to broadcast live soccer matches for the next four years under a $100 million contract at pay-per-view rates instead of free on state television channels, but the Russian president criticized the deal.

"To increase the social responsibility of our contract, we have agreed with Sport TV Channel on broadcasting Russian soccer matches along with [Public Television] Channel One and regional channels. Currently, we are carrying out work with Sport TV Channel to conclude a relevant sublicense agreement," Dmitry Samokhin said.

Concerned over the deal, President Vladimir Putin earlier asked Dmitry Medvedev, a first deputy prime minister and the head of the state commission on the development of television and radio broadcasting in Russia, to straighten the situation out.

On March 9, Medvedev said that all live matches from the Russian soccer Premier League will be broadcast free this year.

Samokhin said his company's contract with the Russian Football League will remain.

"As we intended before, we are committing a large amount of funds into the development of the Russian soccer and a new quality of television broadcasting, Samokhin said.

Therefore, the Russian soccer Premier League matches will be broadcast under the scheme similar to the arrangement last year, when Channel One, Sport TV Channel and local television companies were involved in the effort," said Anastasia Kazakova, the press secretary for NTV-plus.

Sport TV Channel is part of the All Russia State Television and Radio Company, or VGTRK.

MOSCOW, March 11 (RIA Novosti)