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SAT-ITALY 16.01.1998
SAT-ITALY - EDITION 3/98 - January 16th 1998 -
Italian Satellite and Media news edited by Branislav Pekic
RAISAT PRESENTS PLANS FOR FUTURE
According to the director of RAI's thematic channels, Carlo Sartori, by the
end of this year, 3-4 million Italian homes (20% of the population) will
have access to satellite TV channels. He announced that the RAISat thematic
channels will broadcast 30,000 hours of programming during 1998. According
to him, the cost of the installation of dishes and decoders for reception
of satellite TV channels can be brought down by expanding the SMATV sector.
Sartori also used the opportunity to present history programs, which will
be transmitted every Sunday on the RAISat 1 channel. One of the programs
will cover subjects such as the anatomy of power, the economic systems, the
way of life, science and society, the great religions, while another will
be devoted to "famous assassins" that changed the course of history. A film
on a certain subject as well as a documentary produced by The History
Channel will complete the Sunday offer (there will also be a special
Internet site). The RAISat 1 channel will transmit today a European
premiere of the new restored version of the film "Birth of a nation"
directed in 1921 by Wark Griffith, which will be followed by a documentary
featuring interviews with Griffith.
- il direttore dei canali tematici RAI, Carlo Sartori, ha detto che entro
l'anno "3-4 milioni di famiglie italiane, il 20 per cento della
popolazione, potranno ricevere i canali diretti via satellite. Grazie ai
canali RAISat, in 1998 saranno diffusi 30 mila ore di programmi via
satellite. "I costi di installazione di antenne e decodificatori per la tv
via satellite" ha spiegato Sartori "si possono abbattere attraverso la
diffusione delle antenne paraboliche condominiali". Il canale tematico
RAISat 1 trasmetterà oggi in anteprima europea la nuova edizione restaurata
di Nascita di una nazione di Wark Griffith.
INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA SATELLITE SYSTEM
A new interactive multimedia satellite system has started with experimental
broadcasts in Italy. The new system uses capacity on the Italian satellite
ITALSAT that was launched back in 1991 and an EUTELSAT satellite located on
the same orbital position. The new system developed by the aerospace giant
Alenia Aerospazio is in fact made up of two projects: ISIS and SECOMS. The
first is aimed primarily at the home user and commercial customers while
the second is intended for users who are constantly on the move (in planes,
ships, cars, etc).
The ISIS project will also enable access to data banks, Internet as well as
videoconferencing services, by linking up the PC to a 60-cm satellite dish.
Customers will be able to "navigate" without any need for a modem or a
telephone line. Via computer it will be possible to access a series of
information services transmitted from the EUTELSAT satellite and customers
will be able to make requests by transmitting the signals, via the
parabolic dish, to the ITALSAT bird which will in turn send them to RAI's
center for experimental services which is located in Torino and is linked
up to various data banks.
The Secoms project will in fact offer the same interactive and multimedia
services available via ISIS, even when the user is in movement. In this
case, the antenna will only be linked up to the ITALSAT satellite which
operates in the new frequency range 20-30 GHz which permits the high-speed
transfer of huge data streams (up to 9 Gbits), similar to fiber-optic cable
networks. One of the major advantages of this project is that it will
reduce 10-20 times the cost of data transfer.
The ISIS and SECOMS project have the support of the EU and taking part
besides Alenia are RAI, IBM, Nuova Telespazio and several European research
institutes. Estimated costs for the two projects are around 80 million-DM,
out of which 50% will be financed by the European Commission.
- La divisione spazio di Alenia Aerospazio ha messo a punto un sistema
multimediale interattivo articolato in due progetti: ISIS (dedicato al
utente a casa e alle imprese) e SECOMS (per l'utente in movimento. Con IFIS
si potrà accedere a banche dati, Internet e videoconferenze collegando il
PC ad un'antenna parabolica di 60 centimetri di diametro. Si potrà avere
l'accesso ad una serie di informazioni che provengono di EUTELSAT, mentre
sarà possibile effetuare richieste trasmettendo i segnali, tramite la
parabola ad satellite ITALSAT (che dispone della nuova banda di frequenza
da 20-30 GHz), che a sua volta li instraderà al centro servizi sperimentali
dalla RAI di Torino, che sarà collegato alle varie banche dati. Con SECOMS
invece, si potrà usufruire degli stessi servizi interattivi e multimediali,
anche quando si è in movimento. Ai due progetti partecipano Alenia
Aerospazio, RAI, IBM, Nuova Telespazio e alcuni istituti di ricerca
europea. Il valore economico è di circa 80 miliardi di lire, il 50%
proveniente dalla Commissione europea.
TELEPIÙ FREQUENCIES ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED
As we reported last week, the Italian pay-TV network Telepiù has freed up
terrestrial frequencies from January 1st previously used by it's channel
Telepiù 3. Telepiù has taken this step in compliance with the provisions of
the new Telecommunications bill. However, immediately after in several
regions and cities throughout Italy, an abusive and illegal occupation of
the frequencies took place. The situation has gone out of control and the
Ministry for posts and telecommunications has finally decided to intervene.
Telepiù had offered to "occupy" the frequencies up till when they would be
assigned to other users, but the Ministry declined the proposal.
The major problem is that the awarding of broadcasting licenses depends on
the approval of a frequency plan, which is in the competence of the new
Telecommunications authority whose members are yet to be nominated. In the
meantime, by January 31st, a new TV frequency plan should be published (the
radio frequency plan will be known by December 31st), after consulting with
the relevant regional authorities, RAI and the major private broadcasters.
Since the process of consultation is already behind schedule it appears
almost impossible that the frequency plan will be ready by the end of the
month.
No single broadcaster will be allowed to own more than 20% of the total
number of channels proposed by the frequency allocation plan. Those who
exceed the limit, after April 30th, will be able to continue terrestrial
broadcasts up till when the Authority decides to impose cable and satellite
only distribution of such a channel. In the next few weeks, a decision is
expected on the cost broadcasters will have to pay for obtaining a frequency.
- Dal primo gennaio, la terza rete di Telepiù ha lasciato libere le
frequenze terrestri per trasmettere esclusivamente via satellite. Subito,
in diverse regioni e città è partita l'occupazione abusiva e "selvaggia" di
tali canali. Adesso, il ministero delle comunicazioni dovrà emanare
provvedimenti per sgomberare gli "occupanti". Il rilascio delle concessioni
private e l'applicazione dell'antitrust, dipendono dall'approvazione del
Piano delle frequenze: se quest'ultimo slitta, i primi due ne seguono la
sorte.
Entro il 31 gennaio, dovrebbe essere approvato il Piano di assegnazione
delle frequenze televisive (per quelle radio c'è tempo fino al 31 dicembre
98). Il piano va approvato d'intesa con le Regioni, RAI e le associazioni
delle tv private. Queste ultime non sono state ancora convocate, il che
significa che entro fine gennaio sarà quasi impossibile approvare il Piano.
Nessun soggetto potrà avere concessioni oltre il 20% delle reti totali
indicate dal Piano di assegnazione: chi supererà tale limite, potrà, dopo
il 30 aprile, proseguire nelle trasmissioni terrestri fino a quando
l'Autorità non l'obbligherà a farlo esclusivamente su cavo e satellite.
CANALE 5 TOPS RATINGS BATTLE
According to recently released audience figures regarding the last three
months of the past year, the private TV channel Canale 5 surpassed it's
principal rival, the public channel RAI Uno. Data figures show that in the
period from September 29th to December 28th, Canale 5 had a average 23%
audience share in the prime time slot and 22,1% during the 24 hour period,
which is an increase of 0,4% and 0,9% respectively. The most watched public
channel, RAI Uno reported a 2% drop in the prime-time slot and a 1,4% drop
in the 24 hour period. An increase in audience was also reported by two
other private channels belonging to the same TV holding company Mediaset.
They are Italia 1 (an increase of 0,7% in the prime-time slot) and Rete 4
which added a 1% point. Additionally, the 3 Mediaset TV channels totalled a
43,5% audience share (increase of 1,2%) in the prime-time slot, while the 3
RAI TV channels total dropped by 1,6%.
- La rete ammiraglia di Mediaset, Canale 5 è diventata, nell'ultimo
trimestre, la più vista sia in prima serata che nell'arco dell'intera
giornata. Tra il 29 settembre e il 28 dicembre ha ottenuto una media del
23% nel prime time e del 22,1% nelle ventiquattro ore (un incremento di
0,4% e 0,9% rispettivamente). Il principale concorrente, la rete pubblica
RAI Uno ha perso quasi due punti nel prime time è l' 1,4% nel arco della
intera giornata. Complessivamente, la audience media delle 3 reti Mediaset
e aumentata, nel prime time dell' 1,2% (in totale 43,5%), mentre cala
l'ascolto delle 3 reti pubbliche.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- According to sources from the satellite industry, the release of the new
Telepiù D+ software is now imminent. The new software for the Nokia
Mediamaster 9500S will most probably be FTA1.
- The Multimusic digital bouquet, which includes 20 audio channels, has
appeared on the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 2 satellite, frequency 12,034 GHz/Ver.
- Bad news for fans of the TMC and TMC2 TV channels. Both channels which
can be found on the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 2 satellite (11,958 GHz/Ver) are
scrambled once again.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS ON RAI TV CHANNELS FOR WEEK JANUARY 18-24
(All times Central European)
MOVIES
18.01
RAI UNO, 20:45h - La Bibbia - Giacobbe (Italy/USA-1994), starring: Matthew
Modine, Lara Flynn Boyle
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Cracker Jack II - Hostage train (USA-1995), starring:
Judge Reinhold, Carol Alt
19.01
RAI UNO, 20:50h - The client (USA-1994), starring: Susan Sarandon, Tommy
Lee Jones
20.01
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Monday morning (USA-1995), starring: Noah Blaka, Julianne
McNamara
21.01
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Patto di morte (Germany), starring: Gotz George, Renana
Demirkan
23.01
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Il marchio della strega (USA-1996), starring: Angie
Dickinson
24.01
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Awake to danger (USA-1995), starring: Tori Spelling,
Michael Gross
RAI UNO, 00:35h - La casa vuota (France-1960), starring: Joachim Lombard,
Serge Merlin
Note: All movies transmitted in the prime time slot are subtitled on RAI's
teletext pages 777 (Italian) and 778 (English)
SPORT
18.01
RAI TRE, 09:25h - World swimming championships (Perth)
RAI TRE, 10:10h - Alpine skiing: World cup, special slalom for men, I run
RAI TRE, 11:25h - Alpine skiing: World cup, super G for women (Kitzbuhel)
RAI TRE, 13:10h - Alpine skiing: World cup, special slalom for men, II run
RAI DUE, 19:00h - Basketball: Italian league
RAI DUE, 19:30h - World swimming championships (Perth)
19.01
RAI TRE, 16:35h - European skating championships (Milano)
20.01
RAI UNO, 20:40h - Football: Italian cup, JUVENTUS-FIORENTINA
21.01
RAI DUE, 16:10h - Basketball (women): Ronchetti Cup, SIVE PAVIA-BORDEAUX
RAI DUE, 18:40h - Football: Italian cup, INTER-MILAN
23.01
RAI TRE, 09:55h - Alpine skiing: World cup, mens downhill, I run (Kitzbuhel)
RAI TRE, 12:20h - Alpine skiing: World cup, mens downhill, II run (Kitzbuhel)
RAI TRE, 15:55h - Volleyball (women): Champions Cup, FOPPAPEDRETTI
BERGAMO-VRILISSIA
24.01
RAI TRE, 11:55h - Alpine skiing: World cup, mens downhill (Kitzbuhel)
RAI TRE, 16:00h - Volleyball: Italian league, LUBE BANCA MARCHE
MACERATA-CASA MODENA UNIBON
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