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Television in Italy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Television in Italywasintroduced in 1939,when the first experimental broadcasts began. However, this lasted for a very short time: when fascistItalyenteredWorld War IIin 1940, all transmissions were interrupted, and were resumed in earnest only nine years after the end of the war, on January 3, 1954.

There are two main national television organisations responsible for most of the viewership: state-ownedRAI,accounting for 37% of the total viewing figures in May 2014,[1]andMediaset,a commercial network which holds about 33%.[1]The third largest player, the Italian branch ofWarner Bros. Discovery,had a viewing share of 5.8%.[1]

According to theBBC,the Italian television industry is widely considered both inside and outside the country to be overtlypoliticized.[2]Unlike the BBC which is controlled by aboard of governorsregulated byOfcom,the public broadcaster RAI is under direct control of the parliament. According to a December 2008 poll, only 24% of Italians trusted televisionnews programmes,compared unfavourably to the British rate of 38%, making Italy one of only three examined countries where online sources are considered more reliable than television ones for information.[3]

Terrestrial televisionhas historically been the dominant form of transmission in the country.[4]

Television providers

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Digital terrestrial television

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Digital terrestrial televisiontechnology has expanded rapidly and now every major network in Italy (including RAI and Mediaset) transmits inDVB-Tformat, while analog broadcasts were continued until the end of the transition, originally set by law to December 31, 2006, but later pushed back to the end of 2012.[5]

TheBerlusconi II Cabinetstarted promoting the digital format in December 2003 by granting a public financial contribution for the purchase of aMHPdigital television decoder. Starting from January 2005 Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media started offering pay TV services through a prepaid smartcard, including football games, movies and TV shows. In February 2006, during the 2006 Winter Olympics held inTurin,RAI experimentally broadcast a number of sport events using a1080isignal andH264coding. The HD signal has been transmitted over the Turin area, using DVB-T hierarchical modulation, and only specially crafted decoders have been able to receive this signal: they were placed in strategical points in the town.

During the UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2008 Summer Olympics, RAI started experimental high definition broadcasting onRai Test HD,available only in Turin, Milan, Rome, Sardinia and Aosta Valley, continuing with the2008 UCI Road World Championshipsand a few matches of the UEFA Champions League. In July 2008 theEuropean Commission's directorate for competition expressed concerns on whether the actions taken by the current Italian government would be able to alter the current status of duopoly in the broadcasting market held by RAI and Mediaset.[6]Beginning October 31, 2008, in the firstregion of Italyplanned to interrupt analog transmission,Sardinia,television networks broadcast multiplexes only in digital format. Licence fee payers from the region were entitled to a 50 euros discount off the price of a digital television decoder or a new, digital-compatible TV set.[7]

In April 2021,Byoblubegan a national broadcaster and the first Italian TV network that was financially supported by private citizen's donations.[8][9]

Satellite television

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Italy has had digital satellite broadcasts since the 1990s, with the launch ofStream TVandTELE+.In 2003 these merged intoSky Italia,today this pay TV platform is broadcasting fromHot Birdsatellites. HDTV regular services started in June 2006 under the nameSky HD,with the broadcasting of the2006 FIFA World Cupin High Definition. As of today, almost all channels on the platform broadcasts inHD.Tivù Sat,a Free Satellite Service similar to the UK versionFreesat,was launched in June 2009, ensuring access to national television channels from digital terrestrial television networks. Shareholders includeMediaset,Telecom Italia Mediaand the State-owned company Rai.[10]

Pay television

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Current providers

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Defunct providers

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Cable television

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In the 1960s the public television network RAI was a monopoly and the only network authorized to broadcast in Italy. Giuseppe Sacchi, a former RAI editor, launched on April 21, 1971, the first "free" television station, calledTelebiellaand based inBiella.It started to broadcast on April 6, 1972, devoted primarily to news and information. Immediately the government led byGiulio Andreottiforced Sacchi to dismantle Telebiella. Later a new law was issued to regulate and allow cable broadcasting, although with tight limitations:[11]only one cable system for every city and only one TV channel for each system. Cable television remained undeveloped for many years, with the exception of a few amateur projects. In the 1990s, firstTelecom Italiaand thenFastwebcreatedoptical fibernetworks and launched theirIPTVoffers (however associated withSky ItaliaorMediaset Premiumsubscriptions). IPTV was the only service to offervideo on demandup until 2009.

List of nationwide television stations

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All channels broadcast 24 hours, and are in16:9format. On satelllite, as a result of restrictions on broadcasting rights, most of RAI's channels are permanently encrypted, and broadcastfree-to-viewthrough theTivúsatplatform, or are temporarily encrypted when needed. However, Rai 1, 2, 3, Storia, Scuola and Gulp are left unencrypted.[12] The channels from 10 to 19 are made available for Italian regional television.

RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A.

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RaiisItaly's nationalpublic broadcastingcompany, owned by theMinistry of Economy and Finance.Rai's broadcasts are also able to be received in neighboring countries, includingAlbania,Croatia,Malta,Monaco,Montenegro,San Marino,Slovenia,Vatican City,southernSwitzerland,and across Europe on satellite. It is one of the 23 founding broadcasting organizations of theEuropean Broadcasting Union.

Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Rai 1 1 1954 generalist (SD on channel 501, HD on FTA satellite)
Rai 2 2 1961 generalist (SD on channel 502, HD on FTA satellite)
Rai 3 3 1979 generalist (HD on channel 103, HD on FTA satellite)
Rai 4 21 2008 generalist, TV series, movies and entertainment for young audience (HD on channel 521 selected regions only, FTV satellite nationally)
Rai 5 23 2010 cultured-oriented entertainment, documentaries (HD on FTV satellite)
Rai Movie 24 1999 movies (HD on FTV satellite)
Rai Premium 25 2010 the best of RAI's past programs (HD on channel 525 selected regions only, and on FTV satellite)
Rai Gulp 42 2007 cartoons, TV series and entertainment programs for teens (HD on FTA satellite)
Rai Yoyo 43 2006 cartoons and shows for pre-school children (HD on FTV satellite)
Rai News 24 48 1999 24h news (HD on FTA satellite)
Rai Storia 54 2009 documentaries focused on history (HD on FTA satellite)
Rai Sport HD 58 1999 live sports and sports news
Rai Scuola 57 1999 (2009) educational (HD on FTA satellite)
Rai Radio 2 Visual 202 2022 radio broadcast and news (FTV on satellite)

Mediaset S.p.A.

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Mediasetis the largestcommercial broadcasterin Italy. The group competes primarily against thepublic broadcasterand market leaderRAI.Due to their proximity to (or encirclement by) Italy,Albania,Croatia,Switzerland,Malta,San Marino,theVatican CityandSloveniacan also receive Mediaset broadcasts. In addition to their domestic television channels, Mediaset also operates a series ofnews,entertainmentandsportwebsites; owns 50.1% of theSpanishbroadcasting firmMediaset España Comunicación;owns the film production companyMedusa Film;and heads aconsortiumwhich owns thetelevision productionhouseBanijay.

Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Rete 4 4 1982 generalist (HD on channel 504)
Canale 5 5 1980 generalist (HD on channel 505)
Italia 1 6 1982 generalist (HD on channel 506)
20 20 2018 generalist, oriented to movies, TV series and sport events (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
Iris 22 2007 TV series, movies and cultured-oriented programs
27 Twentyseven 27 2022 TV series and movies (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
La5 30 2010 TV series, movies, entertainment, reality shows, female-oriented channel
Cine34 34 2020 Italian movies of all time
Focus 35 2018 documentaries (It was owned by Discovery Italia)
Top Crime 39 2013 TV series and movies on the world of crime
Italia 2 49 2011 TV series, movies, entertainment, reality shows, male-oriented channel
TgCom24 51 2011 all news
Mediaset Extra 55 2010 past and current cult shows from Mediaset channels
Radio 105 TV 157 2019 radio broadcast and news
R101 TV 167 2014
Virgin Radio TV 257 2018
Radio Monte Carlo TV 67 (TivùSat), 716 (Sky Italia) 2020 only on FTV satellite

Cairo Communication S.p.A.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
La7 7 2001 generalist (HD on channel 507)
La7d 29 2010 women infotainment, TV series, movies, light entertainment, La7 reruns (HD on channel 529)

Discovery Italia S.r.l.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Nove 9 2016 generalist
Real Time 31 2005 lifestyle (HD onSky ItaliaandTivùsat)
Food Network 33 2017 cuisine (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
Warner TV 37 2022 TV series and movies (HD on TivùSat)
Giallo 38 2012 TV series and crime movies (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
K2 41 2009 cartoons, TV series and entertainment programs for pre-teens
Frisbee 44 2010 cartoons, TV series and entertainment programs for kids
DMAX 52 2011 factual-entertainment for the male audience (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
HGTV - Home & Garden TV 56 2020 home improvement and real estate (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
Motor Trend 59 2018 motor (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)

Sky Italia S.r.l.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
TV8 8 2016 generalist (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
Cielo 26 2009 shows and movies (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)
Sky TG24 50 2003 all-news channel

Paramount Networks Italia S.r.l.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Super! 47 2010 (by De Agostini) cartoons, TV series and entertainment programs for teens

Boing S.p.A. (51%Mediaset,49%Warner Bros. Discovery)

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Boing 40 2004 cartoons, TV series and entertainment programs for pre-teens and teens
Boing Plus 45 2019 timeshift version ofBoingandCartoonito
Cartoonito 46 2011 cartoons, TV series and entertainment programs for kids aged 3–7.

Byoblu Edizioni S.r.l.s

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Byoblu 262 2021 all-news channel (HD onSky Italiaon channel 816 andTivùsaton channel 462)

Television Broadcasting System S.r.l.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Retecapri 122 1982 generalist (HD on channel 566)

Alma Media S.p.A.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Alma TV 65 2020 entertainment focused on food, cooking, house living and travel and

GEDI Gruppo Editoriale S.p.A.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
Deejay TV 69 2018 radio broadcast and news

RTL 102.5 HIT RADIO S.r.l

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
RTL 102.5 TV 36 2000 radio broadcast and news
Radiofreccia 258 2016 rock music
Radio Zeta 266 2016 Italian pop and indie music

Liberty Interactive

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
QVC 32 2010 shopping and entertainment channel (HD onSky Italiaand TivùSat)

GM Comunicazione S.r.l.

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Channel LCN onDVB-T Launched Description
HSE24 37 2018 shopping and entertainment channel

Other national channels

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Semigeneralist

Music

Sports

Other

Network of local televisions

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  • 7 Gold:launched in 1999 as "Italia 7 Gold", changed name in 2003; airs movies, sport debates and old TV series

Foreign channels

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Lower channels, teleshopping channel, lower network and local channels

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  • Canale 63 (63)
  • Canale 65 (65)
  • ibox.it (68)
  • Capri Store (122), home shopping
  • Canale Italia:launched in 1976 as "Serenissima TV", changed name in 2004; airsentertainment shows,music and dance programmes (with the channelCanale Italia Musica),home shopping showsand classical movies. Also available on digital satellite and digital terrestrial
  • Odeon:launched in 1987 from some local television stations that were previously affiliated to "Euro TV". The group also includes the channelsTLC Telecampionelaunched in 1982 andTeleReporterlaunched in 1977 as "Tele Radio Reporter", "Telereporter-Canale 7" between 2002 and 2004
  • Telepace:launched in 1977 as a radio and, two years later, as a syndication, it is a religious channel and airs direct-to-videos holy masses, holy celebrations and Christian holidays, it is visible only in some regions and it broadcast from nearVerona
  • Televisione Cristiana in Italia:launched in 1979, it is a religious channel too and it was named previously TBNE (Trinity Broadcasting Network Europe), this channel is visible only in some regions too

Digital satellite only (free to air)

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Educational

Lifestyle

News and politics

Sports and betting

  • HorseTV
  • Passione Pesca
  • Subacquea TV

Foreign channels

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Italian programming

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Top Crime

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Premium Crime

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AXN

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Former channels

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  • Telemontecarlo(1974-2001, broadcasting fromPrincipality of Monacoup to 1999)
  • Rete A(1983-2005)
  • Videomusic/TMC2(1984-2000)
  • Rete Mia (1988-2000)
  • Italia 7 (1987-1999)
  • Pop(2017-2019)
  • Cine Sony (2017-2019)
  • Alpha (2017-2019)
  • Spike (2017-2022)
  • Alice(1999-2020)
  • Marcopolo (1997-2020)
  • Paramount Network (2016-2022)
  • Case Design Stili (2017-2020)
  • Pop Economy (2018-2020)
  • Mediaset Extra 2 (2019-2020)

Most viewed channels

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The Auditel measures television ratings in Italy. The two most watched channels are stillRai 1andCanale 5which together share 33% of the audience. Following these in terms of ratings areRai 3andRai 2with 14% of total share and finally a third group of stations made up ofItalia 1andRete 4which together reach 12% of TV ratings. Apart from the seventh ex analogue televisionLa7with a market share of 4%. All the six RAI and Mediasetgeneralist channelshad a slightly lower daily audience in 2013 compared with previous years, whileComcast's pay TV platform calledSky Italia(with its channels likeFox,Fox Crime,Sky CinemaandSky Sport), nationwide channelLa7owned byCairo Communicationand several new free-to-air digital stations (likeGiallo,Rai 4,Iris,La5,Real Time,K2,Rai Premium,Top Crime,Cielo,DMAX) are increasing in ratings day by day.

Position Channel Launch date Owner 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
1 Rai 1 1954 RAI 22.86 22.99 22.33 21.80 20.63 19.86 18.1 18.3 17.84 17.43
2 Canale 5 1980 Mediaset 21.82 20.96 20.67 20.33 20.50 18.78 17.0 15.9 14.95 15.37
3 Rai 3 1979 RAI 9.11 9.31 9.06 9.07 8.46 7.75 8.5 7.7 7.38 6.73
4 Rai 2 1961 RAI 11.29 11.27 10.38 10.60 8.90 9.02 8.3 7.6 6.77 6.62
5 Italia 1 1982 Mediaset 11.48 11.09 11.18 10.83 10.68 9.22 8.3 6.18 6.54 5.97
6 Rete 4 1982 Mediaset 8.63 8.22 8.68 8.28 7.47 6.79 6.7 5.42 5.03 4.89
7 La7 2001 Cairo Communication 2.71 3.02 2.97 3.08 3.18 3.06 3.82 3.68 3.76 3.26
8 Real Time 2005 Warner Bros. Discovery Italia <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 1.09 1.4 1.53 1.52
9 DMAX 2011 Warner Bros. Discovery Italia N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. <0.90 <0.90 1.32 1.40
10 Rai Yoyo 2006 RAI N.E. <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 1.34 1.38
11 Iris 2007 Mediaset N.E. N.E. <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 1.26 1.31 1.31
12 Cielo 2009 Sky Italia N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 1.30
13 Top Crime 2013 Mediaset N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. N.E. 1.05 1.06
14 Rai Premium 2003 RAI <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 1.25 1.14 1.06
15 Rai Movie 1999 RAI <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 0.92 0.95 1.03
16 Boing 2004 Mediaset
Warner Bros. Discovery 		<0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 1.05 0.99 <0.90 0.99
17 Rai 4 2008 RAI N.E. N.E. N.E. <0.90 <0.90 <0.90 0.98 1.1 0.96 0.92

See also

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References

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  1. ^abc"Sintesi Mensile 1A"(PDF).Auditel.RetrievedJune 30,2014.
  2. ^"Country profile: Italy".BBC News.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
  3. ^"Our new digital friend? We now trust online news as we trust TV and newspapers".TNS US. December 15, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon February 9, 2009.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
  4. ^"Archived".citeseerx.ist.psu.edu.Archived fromthe originalon April 9, 2009.RetrievedApril 24,2023.[dead link]
  5. ^"SWITCH OFF FOR 2012".September 1, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon July 14, 2007.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
  6. ^"EU wants Italy to clarify frequency distribution rules".Broadband TV News. July 2008.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
  7. ^"Digitale Terrestre Parte in Sardegna lo switch-off"(in Italian). NonSoloCinema. October 15, 2008.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
  8. ^Fabio Dragoni (April 1, 2021)."Youtube epura Byoblu di Messora. E gli utenti gli comprano un canale tv".La Verità(in Italian).
  9. ^"VIAGGIO DENTRO BYOBLU: LA CASA EDITRICE".Informazione - Notizie a Confronto(in Italian). November 29, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 5,2024.
  10. ^"RAI and Mediaset plan Italian freesat Broadband TV News".Broadband TV News. January 20, 2009.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
  11. ^"Legge 103/75 Nuove norme in materia di diffusione radiofonica e televisiva"(in Italian).Agcom.Archived fromthe originalon March 2, 2009.RetrievedMarch 7,2009.
  12. ^"Hotbird 13F/13G at 13.0°E".LyngSat.RetrievedJune 30,2024.

Bibliography

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