SAT-ITALY 03.10.1997

from: owner-sat-italy@tags1.dn.net
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 1997 23:35:03 +0200
SAT-ITALY - EDITION 36/97 - October 3rd 1997 -
Italian Satellite and Media news edited by Branislav Pekic


ITALIAN BISHOPS CONFIRM TV CHANNEL
During it's annual autumn meeting, the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI) has
confirmed the launch of it's own satellite TV channel. The channel, which
is as yet unnamed, will start broadcasting in December. According to
Monsignor Ennio Antonelli, the general secretary of CEI, they plan to
invest more than 10 million DEM for the launch of the new TV service. The
channel will be broadcast in digital MPEG-2 mode via satellite and will be
unscrambled so anybody with a satellite dish and digital satellite receiver
will be able to receive it.
The CEI TV channel will place a special emphasis on ethic values and will
show programs which cannot be seen on other TV channels, especially
highlighting programs from local TV stations throughout Italy. The top
posts have yet to be assigned but Emmanuele Milano, (ex-TMC and RAI) is
heavily favoured for the post of director general, while the famous
director Pupi Avati will probably be nominated artistic director.
In parallel to the TV channel, a new religious radio station will also be
launched. The two new services will cooperate with the already existing
Catholic news agency Newspress and the Catholic daily "Avvenire". 
- La Conferenza Episcopale Italiana (CEI) ha confermato che entro la fine
del anno, comincerà a trasmettere la sua nuova TV satellitare. Monsignor
Ennio Antonelli, segretario generale della CEI ha detto che il budget della
nuova TV e oltre 10 miliardi di lire. La CEI avrà anche una nuova rete
radio. Per il posto di direttore generale si parla di Emanuele Milano
(ex-TMC e RAI).


RAISAT 2 LAUNCHED
As previously announced RAI's first thematic satellite TV channel devoted
to children, RaiSat 2 was successfully launched on September 27th. The new
channel transmits unscrambled, without any advertising, in digital mode via
the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 2 satellite. 
One hour and a half of programming in the morning hours will be aimed at
pre-school children, which will be followed by blocks of programming for
older children. In the evening hours, RaiSat 2 shows new TV series such as
"Star Trek Voyager" and "Young Indiana Jones". Gianfranco Noferi is in
charge of the new service. 
According to current estimates, there are currently 700,000 satellite
dishes in Italy, which means there is a potential audience of more than a
million viewers. However, the real number of potential viewers for RAI's
new digital channels totals around 100,000, which is the number of
subscribers to Telepiù's digital service who already own the necessary
digital receiver needed to receive the RAI channels. This number is
expected to rise since a cheap digital receiver (without the CAM module)
produced by Italtel has already appeared in the shops and costs only 800 DEM.
At the launch of RaiSat 2, Carlo Sartori, director of RAI's thematic
channels announced that this event is the first step in the future
multimedia plans which will see "the progressive convergence of TV and
computers".
The vice-director general of RAI, Guido Vannucchi highlighted the fact that
RAI has been the first public television broadcaster in Europe to start
digital broadcasts.
The next RAI thematic channel to appear will be the educational service
RaiSat 3 (on October 13th) followed by the channel for arts and culture,
RaiSat 1 (on October 27th). All three channels will have their HQ in
different Italian cities - RaiSat 1 will be based in Turin, RaiSat 2 in
Milan and RaiSat 3 in Naples.
- Lunedi 29 settembre alle 7.30 la RAI ha lanciato la sua prima rete
tematica RaiSat 2 via satellite EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 2. RAISAT 2 è un canale
per i bambini e ragazzi con documentari sulla natura e avventura, cartoni
animati, fictions e films. Il responsabile è Gianfranco Noferi. Il 13.
ottobre parte RaiSat 3 - Enciclopedia (canale di educazione) e il 27
ottobre sara la volta di RaiSat 1 (programmi su teatro, musica, poesia,
danza e letteratura).
Attualmente in Italia esistono circa 700,000 parabole satellitari, ma il
numero dei potenziali telespettatori e piu basso, circa 100,000 - gli
abbonati ai canali digitali Telepiù che possiedono i decodificatori
digitali. Questo numero crescerà perchè è già in vendita il nuovo decoder
digitale Italtel al costo di 799,000 lire. 



LIVE ITALIAN LEAGUE FOOTBALL - PART II
Following last week's article on live football on TGRT, here is an update
where live Italian league football can be found on satellite in Europe.
In the Ku-band, live feeds can be found in parallel on two satellites -
INTELSAT 602 satellite (63 degrees East), frequency 11.055 GHz/Hor and
INTELSAT 705 (18,5 degrees West). The later satellite is also the home for
C-band feeds (frequency 4.188 GHz/CR). For other C-band feeds check out the
INTELSAT 604 satellite (60 degrees East) - frequencies 4.166 and 4.188
GHz/CR. Please note that the starting times of matches are 16:00 hours CET
and 20:30 hours CET.
Besides the Turkish channel TGRT, the evening match can be seen live also
on TV6 Sweden which transmits via the SIRIUS 1A satellite (5 degrees East).
The quality of reception will depend on the part of Europe you are located.
- Se siete interessati di ricevere gli live feeds del calcio domenicale
ecco i satelliti dove trovargli: 
INTELSAT 602 (63 Est) - 11.055 GHz/H in parallelo con INTELSAT 705 (18,5
Ovest). 
In banda C, INTELSAT 705 (18,5 Ovest) - 4.188 RZ e INTELSAT 604 (60 Est) -
4.166 e 4.188, 
Il posticipo si trasmette in diretta anche sul canale TV6 Sweden, satellite
SIRIUS 1A (5° Est).  


RAI TO IMITATE THE BBC
The president of RAI, Enzo Siciliano recently announced the future plans of
the state television company. Among other things, he promised that from
this year, RAI would devote 65% of its programming to news, documentaries,
service news, culture, science, sports and children's programming.
Siciliano illustrated this initiative by saying that RAI wants to imitate
the BBC which devotes 67% of its schedule to the above mentioned programs.
In the meantime, the Italian Parliament will soon start debate on a
proposed bill (number 1138) which would see the state broadcaster
transformed into a holding. This would open up RAI to private capital,
which would help make the company less bureaucratic and more efficient.
According to the under-secretary at the Ministry for posts and
telecommunications, Michele Lauria, the privatisation process would be made
up of several phases which would start at earliest next spring, that is if
the bill passes in Parliament.
- Il presidente della RAI, Enzo Siciliano ha detto che la RAI dedicerà 65%
della programmazione a telegiornali, programmi di approfondimento e
servizio, culturali, scientifici, sportivi e per i bambini. 
Il Parlamento, presto esaminerà il disegno di legge 1138 che prevede la
trasformazione della RAI in holding che permetterà l'ingresso del capitale
privato.


MATCH MUSIC 
According to unconfirmed reports, the new Italian music channel Match Music
Satellite is set to start experimental broadcasts on October 1st. It will
form part of the "Basic" package in Telepiù's D+ digital satellite bouquet
transmitted via the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD ½ satellites. The new channel will
broadcast 24 hours a day and the program schedule will be made up of music
videos, interviews and concerts (60% of music will be of Italian origin).
Match Music Satellite is a joint venture between a Verona based local music
channel and the French satellite music channel MCM. The official launch
date will be October 25th.
- Il 1 ottobre dovrà cominciare a emettere, in via sperimentale, il nuovo
canale musicale italiano Match Music Satellite. Questo canale farà parte
del bouquet digitale Telepiù D+: La maggior parte della musica sarà di
origine italiana. Match Music Satellite e una joint-venture tra i cui
palinsesti saranno realizzati con la collaborazione dei francesi di MCM
Euromusique. L'inaugurazione ufficiale di Match Music Satellite sarà il
prossimo 25 ottobre. 


NEWS IN BRIEF
- The Italian cable operator Stream will soon sign a deal with Microsoft
which will see the debut of Web TV services in Italy.
- Publitalia, the advertising arm of the private TV holding company
Mediaset, hopes to finish 1997 with revenues of 3,500 million DEM, up 8-10%
from last year.
- The under-secretary at the Ministry for posts and telecommunications,
Vincenzo Vita has said that a "positive wind" is being emerging from the
talks on a single Italian digital platform. 
- Mediaset has announced it is planning to launch three thematic satellite
channels: a children's channel, a channel devoted to culture and an
entertainment channel.


PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS FOR RAI CHANNELS FROM  OCTOBER 5-11 *

PRIME-TIME MOVIES
05.X
RAI UNO, 20:50h - La piovra 8 - Part I (Italy-1997), starring: Raoul Bova,
Anja Kling
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Il piccolo diavolo (Italy-1988), starring: Roberto
Benigni, Walter Matthau
06.X
RAI UNO, 20:50h - La piovra 8 - Part II (Italy-1997), starring: Raoul Bova,
Anja Kling
07.X
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Blown Away (USA-1994), starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Jeff
Bridges
08.X
RAI UNO, 20:50h - Prison of secrets (USA-1996), starring: Stephanie Zimbalist
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Primo cittadino - Part V (Italy), starring: Tullio Solenghi
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Bullit (USA-1968), starring: Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn
09.X
RAI TRE, 20:40h - Dream lover (USA-1993), starring: Madchen Amick, James
Spader
RAI DUE, 00:50h - Quattro irresistibili brontoloni (USA-1995), starring:
Olympia Dukakis, Cloris Leachman
10.X
RAI UNO, 22:50h - King of comedy (USA-1982), starring: Robert de Niro,
Jerry Lewis
11.X
RAI DUE, 20:50h - The awakening (Canada-1993), starring: Cynthia Geary,
David Beecroft
RAI UNO, 00:20h - Padre Daens (Belgium/France/Holland-1992)

Note: all movies transmitted in the prime-time slot on RAI UNO are
subtitled in English on RAI Teletext page 778

SPORT
10.X
RAI TRE, 16:30h - Tenis: ATP tour - senior from Pesaro
RAI DUE, 20:40h - Football:  EC qualifiers (under 21s), Italy-England
11.X
RAI TRE, 05:50h - Formula 1: GP Japan - qualifying heats
RAI UNO, 20:40h - Football: WC qualifiers, Italy-England
12.X
RAI TRE, 01:25h - Formula 1: GP Japan - qualifying heats
RAI TRE, 05:30h - Formula 1: GP Japan - qualifying heats
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