SAT-ITALY 27.03.1998

• from: owner-sat-italy@tags1.dn.net
• Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 18:52:34 +0100

SAT-ITALY - EDITION 13/98 - March 27th 1998 -
Italian Satellite and Media news/Notizie della TV via satellite in Italia 
edited by Branislav Pekic - bpekic@yahoo.com


CECCHI GORI TO LAUNCH 10 DIGITAL CHANNELS
The Italian businessman Vittorio Cecchi Gori has announced that his media
group is planning to launch 10 digital TV channels. He made the
announcement following a trip to the U.S.A. where he held talks with
possible partners for his two TV channels, TMC and TMC2. 
The new digital TV channels will be operated by a new company called Cecchi
Gori Digitale. The channels will be dedicated to "entertainment, sports and
educational programs" and there will also be some pay-per-view services.
Cecchi Gori also confirmed that talks with an American group present in the
movie and TV business are "in an advanced stage". 
In a separate development, the president of Cecchi Gori Group (CGG), Biagio
Agnes criticized the way audience figures are measured. He said that the
current method penalised TMC which has higher ratings in larger cities and
in Northern Italy (where audience figures reach a 6% share) than in
Southern Italy and the islands where coverage is not satisfactory (due to
the lack of available TV frequencies). Agnes also announced that from next
autumn TMC will have at its disposition a new production centre in Rome.
During the presentation of the new program schedule of the two TMC channels
it was announced that 250 hours will be devoted to coverage from the World
Cup in France. Since Cecchi Gori has the biggest film library in Italy,
viewers to his two channels will be treated to several recent movie titles
such as "Pulp fiction", "Rob Roy", "Four rooms" and "Mediterraneo".
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- Alla conferenza stampa organizzata dalla Cecchi Gori Group (CGG) è stato
dato l'annuncio che il gruppo, oltre ad essere pronto per entrare nel
mercato digitale, accoglierà presto un "socio americano". Vittorio Cecchi
Gori ha annunciato la nascita di una nuova società, Cecchi Gori Digitale,
che avrà il compito di gestire dieci canali tematici digitali - "ci saranno
canali di intrattenimento, ma anche servizi di pubblica utilità". Ha
parlato di "trattative avanzate" con un socio americano, sul possibile
ingresso di un nuovo socio nel suo gruppo "che, comunque, resterà una
compagnia italiana". 
Il presidente Biagio Agnes ha criticato l'Auditel, che penalizzerebbe Tmc,
più ascoltata nei centri metropolitani al Nord, invece che al Sud e nelle
Isole (regioni dove il gruppo aspetta le frequenze ancora non
assegnategli).  TMC annuncia un grosso sforzo produttivo anche in occasione
dei mondiali di Francia, con 250 ore di trasmissione. Saranno trasmessi
anche molti film del catalogo Cecchi Gori -   
"Rob Roy", "Pulp fiction", "Four rooms" e "Mediterraneo". 


MEDIASET NOT FOR SALE
Silvio Berlusconi has decided not to sell the Mediaset TV holding to Rupert
Murdoch. That is the result of two months of secret negotiations that took
place between representatives of the two media moguls.
A press statement issued from Berlusconi's HQ in Milan confirmed that the
control of Mediaset's 3 TV channels (Canale 5, Italia 1 and Rete 4) will
remain in the hands of the former Italian prime minister. 
The main question on everybody's mind is why did the negotiations fail? One
version is that the asking price was too high - according to some sources
Murdoch offered 10,000 lire (around 10 DM) per share while Berlusconi asked
for 12,500 lire (around 12,50 DM) which amounts to 7,000 billion lire
(around 7,000 million DM) for the whole majority stake (50,6%) in Mediaset.
Another reason may be the current political uncertainty in Italy and it's
implications on the TV market. In a TV interview, Berlusconi said that he
decided not to sell the company he founded due to "sentimental reasons" and
because he did not want that such an important Italian company passes into
"foreign hands". 
Following the announcement that the deal is off on March 20th, Berlusconi
flew over to London to eliminate any possible misunderstanding. The meeting
also proved an opportunity to discuss possible types of co-operation on the
international scene. Back in 1995, the Australian born media magnate for
the first time expressed his interest in taking over Berlusconi's TV
interests. The talks lasted a few weeks and everything went up in smoke. 
Leading Italian politicians had expressed concern that the control of TV
channels in Italy would pass to a foreign shareholder. Giovanna Melandri
who is responsible for the telecommunications sector in Italy's largest
party PDS warned that if the deal succeeded Italy would loose a strategic
presence in such an important sector.
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- Silvio Berlusconi non vende Mediaset a Rupert Murdoch. Al termine di due
mesi di trattative segrete, dal quartier generale della Mediaset, è
arrivato l'annuncio che non se ne fa niente. Il controllo delle tre tv di
Mediaset resta alla famiglia del leader di Forza Italia. Perché la vendita
non è andata in porto? C'è più di una versione. Una dice che le trattative
si sono interrotte per ragioni di prezzo - Murdoch avrebbe offerto 10.000
lire per azione, contro una richiesta da parte di Berlusconi di circa
12.500 lire, ossia 7 mila miliardi per il pacchetto di maggioranza (50,6%).
Anche l'eccessiva incertezza politica sul futuro delle TV  in Italia
avrebbe consigliato al magnate americano l'interruzione delle trattative. 
In una intervista a TG5, Silvio Berlusconi ha spiegato che non ha voluto
vendere "per ragioni di cuore, perché considero le televisioni una mia
creazione".  A sole 24 ore di distanza dal gran rifiuto di vendere il
pacchetto di controllo di Mediaset, Berlusconi è volato a Londra per
incontrare Murdoch. Nel corso del'incontro, sono state esaminate concrete
possibilità di collaborazione internazionale. 
L'ipotesi di un accordo tra Murdoch e Berlusconi  non è piaciuta al partito
della Quercia. Giovanna Melandri, responsabile delle comunicazioni del Pds,
ha detto che "un'ipotesi di cessione totale in favore di News Corporation,
che prefigurerebbe di fatto la scomparsa di una strategica presenza
italiana in un settore così importante, è uno scenario che non può non
preoccupare". 


HOME SHOPPING NETWORK TO BUY RETEMIA
According to an article in the Italian daily "Corriere della Sera", the
U.S. businessman Barry Diller is planning to buy the Italian TV channel
Rete Mia in order to turn it into a TV shopping channel. It seems that the
biggest TV shopping channel in the U.S., Home Shopping Network (controlled
by Diller) is prepared to buy a 50% stake in a joint-venture together with
the Luxembourg based TV company SBS, which already owns a 10% stake in Rete
Mia and an option to buy the remaining 90%.
The newspaper comments that the arrival of Barry Diller could revolutionise
the world of Italian TV shopping, a market defined by many as still
"virgin". Currently, Rete Mia like many other local TV channels throughout
Italy broadcast low-quality TV shopping programs produced by various
product manufacturers. Home Shopping Network and other similar channels in
the U.S. instead buy the goods themselves and then advertise them to
potential customers, thus being responsible themselves for the quality of
the products and services.
The success of the Rete Mia deal will however depend in large part of the
political situation in Italy. The Chamber of Representatives is currently
examining a bill, which regulates the amount of advertising on TV, but it
does not provide for a channel, which would transmit 24 hours a day TV
shopping, programs. The only solution it seems would be the launch of a
satellite channel but the success of such a channel could be compromised by
the low penetration figures for satellite TV in Italy.
According to the same sources, both companies will probably sign an
agreement in April for forming a joint-venture, which would become
operative when SBS decides to take up it's option (which expires in the
year 2000) to buy the remaining 90% of Rete Mia. In March 1997 when SBS
bought a 10% stake, the market value of Rete Mia was estimated to be worth
around 120 million DM.
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- Secondo il giornale "Corriere della Sera", la Home Shopping Network
(HSN), il maggior canale di televendite d'America, controllato dal
imprenditore Barry Diller, starebbe per entrare al 50% in una joint venture
con la società televisiva lussemburghese SBS che oggi possiede il 10% di
Rete Mia e ha un'opzione per acquistare il rimanente 90%. Rete Mia, come la
maggior parte delle altre TV locali italiane, si limita infatti a vendere
spazi di palinsesto a soggetti che a loro volta vendono prodotti per
televisione. La HSN e numerosi altri canali di teleshopping Usa, invece,
comprano merce e la rivendono ai telespettatori, e sono quindi responsabili
in prima persona della qualità dei prodotti e del servizio.
Benchè il mercato italiano sia promettente, l'investimento dipenderà
dall'evoluzione del quadro legislativo. Il disegno di legge sulla raccolta
pubblicitaria attualmente all'esame della Camera limita infatti le
televendite e non prevede la regolamentazione di un canale per il commercio
elettronico "all'americana". A Retemia non rimarrebbe che trasmettere su
una piattaforma digitale, ma in questo caso il suo successo potrebbe essere
limitato data la bassa penetrazione del satellite in Italia. 


MORE ITALIAN NEWS ON BLOOMBERG TV
Highlights of the new program schedule of the business channel Bloomberg TV
Italia include: 15 bulletins devoted to financial news, 9 bulletins with
general news, 8 bulletins with sports news as well as constant updates on
the world markets. The new program schedule of the channel, which is
produced together with the Italian news agency Ansa, has come into effect
in the past few days. The Bloomberg TV Italia channel is transmitted as
part of Telepiù's digital platform and via Stream's cable platform. The
news segment in the Italian language is transmitted Mondays to Fridays from
09:00-24.00 hours CET.
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- Quindici notiziari di economia, nove telegiornali di informazione
generale, otto notiziari sportivi e aggiornamenti continui sui principali
mercati finanziari. E' questo il nuovo palinsesto del canale Bloomberg TV
in italiano, realizzato in collaborazione con l'ANSA. Il canale viene
trasmesso su Telepiù in digitale e da Stream via cavo. Le trasmissioni in
italiano vanno in onda dalle 09:00 alle 24:00 da lunedi' a venerdi'.


SATELLITE DISHES FOR INTERNET
The transport and telecommunications commission of the Camera of
Representatives in the Italian Parliament is currently examining a white
paper which would, if approved, enable the installation of satellite dishes
for reception of Internet services without the need for paying the TV
license fee. A subscription to an Internet provider although will still be
necessary. The Internet satellite link allows for very fast data transfer,
but in order to transmit the data from the user a normal telephone line to
the Internet provider is still required.
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- La commissione trasporti e telecomunicazioni della Camera ha in esame un
progetto di legge che prevede la possibilita' di installare parabole
satellitari per la ricezione di Internet senza alcun abbonamento
televisivo, ma solo abbonandosi ad un provider. Il collegamento via
satellite e' estremamente rapido in ricezione, ma per trasmettere i dati e'
sempre necessario avere un collegamento fisico, via cavo, con il provider.


NEWS IN BRIEF
- The Italian electronics giant Italtel (owned by Telecom Italia and
Siemens) has reported record profits for the year 1997 thanks to increased
exports. The total revenues amounted to 4,587 million DM with net profits
of 38,2 million DM. Italtel is the leading digital receiver manufacturers
in Italy.
- The feed for Cartoon Network Italia which was noticed on the ASTRA and
ORION 1 satellites will soon be available only via the SIRIUS 2 satellite
(5 degrees East).  The tuning details are as follows: frequency 12,303
GHz/Hor, Symbol rate 25,543, FEC 7/8, VPid 1908, APid 1820.


PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS ON RAI TV CHANNELS FOR WEEK MARCH 29-APRIL 4
(All times Central European)
MOVIES
29.03
RAI UNO, 20:45h - Il Maresciallo Rocca 2 - Part III (Italy-1997), starring:
Gigi Proietti, Stefania Sandrelli
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Piedone l'africano (Italy-1978), starring: Bud Spencer,
Enzo Cannavale
RAI DUE, 00:05h - Project Shadowchaser III (USA-1995), starring; Sam
Bottoms, Frank Zagarino
30.03
RAI UNO, 20:50h - Il Maresciallo Rocca 2 - Part IV (Italy-1997), starring:
Gigi Proietti, Stefania Sandrelli
31.03
RAI DUE, 23:00h - Carrington (U.K./France-1995), starring: Emma Thompson,
Jonathan Pryce
01.04
RAI UNO, 20:50h - Sins of silence (USA-1995), starring: Lindsay Wagner,
Sean McCann
02.04
RAI TRE, 20:50h - The distinguished gentleman (USA-1993), starring: Eddie
Murphy, Lane Smith
03.04
RAI TRE, 20:40h - Lethal weapon 2 (USA-1989), starring: Mel Gibson, Danny
Glover
RAI UNO, 22:55h - La voce della luna (Italy-1989), starring: Roberto
Benigni, Paolo Villaggio
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Il gufo (USA-1992), starring: Adrian Paul, Patricia
Charbonneau
04.04
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Le corps d'un homme (France-1997), starring: Sophie
Broustal, Michael Volta
RAI DUE, 00:30h - Search and destroy (USA-1996), starring: Griffin Dunne,
Illeana Douglas
RAI UNO, 00:35h - Tutti i giorni e domenica (Italy/France-1994), starring:
Maurizio Nichetti, Thierry Lhermitte

Note:	All movies transmitted in the prime time slot are subtitled on RAI's
teletext pages 777 (Italian) and 778 (English)

SPORT
29.03
RAI DUE, 17:30h - Formula 1: GP Brazil - live coverage
RAI DUE, 20:10h - Basketball: Italian league
31.03
RAI UNO, 20:40h - Football: UEFA Cup, Inter Milan-Spartak Moscow (semi-finals)
01.04
RAI TRE, 15:40h - Basketball (women): Italian league (play off)
02.04
RAI TRE, 15:40h - Volleyball: Italian league, quarter-finals
03.04
RAI TRE, 10:55h - Tennis: Davis Cup, Italy-India
RAI DUE, 14:00h - Tennis: Davis Cup, Italy-India
RAI TRE, 15:30h - Tennis: Davis Cup, Italy-India
04.04
RAI DUE, 13:55h - Tennis: Davis Cup, Italy-India


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