SAT-ITALY 01.05.1998

from: owner-sat-italy@tags1.dn.net
Date: Fri, 01 May 1998 18:22:19 +0200
SAT-ITALY - EDITION 18/98 - May 1st 1998 -
Italian Satellite and Media news/Notizie della TV via satellite in Italia 
edited by Branislav Pekic - bpekic@yahoo.com


CANAL PLUS WANTS TO NEGOTIATE WITH RAI AND TELECOM ITALIA
In an interview with the Italian daily "Corriere della Sera", the president
of Canal Plus, Pierre Lescure has said that his company has not given up on
the idea of reaching a deal on a single Italian digital platform. 
Lescure said that the announcement by Telecom Italia and RAI that they will
form a rival digital platform to Telepiù (in which the French company has a
90% stake) has been a good negotiating move in the digital talks that have
been stalled for such a long time. He confirmed that talks had been going
on with representatives of the Italian government who have expressed their
preference for a single Italian digital platform. Lescure also made it
clear that his company is open to renegotiating the preliminary agreement
reached back in December. He added that an option may be an open commercial
platform in which each operator can offer potential subscribers it's own
independent package.
____________________________________________________________________________
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- In una intervista al quotidiano "Corriere della Sera", il presidente di
Canal Plus, Pierre Lescure ha espresso la volontà di continuare a trattare
con RAI e Telecom Italia sulla questione della piataforma digitale unica.
Lescure ha definito l'accordo RAI/Telecom Italia sulla TV digitale come una
buona mossa negoziale. "Possiamo riproporre un progetto più aperto di
quello concordato a dicembre, con una piattaforma commerciale aperta dentro
la quale ogni soggetto possa fare la propria offerta indipendente al
cliente". I rapresentanti di Canal Plus aspettano un aiuto del governo
italiano e Walter Veltroni ha già espresso la sua preferenza per un accordo
che vede tutti insieme.
 

MORE SATELLITE CHANNELS FROM MEDIASET
Following hot on the heels of it's first thematic satellite TV channel (The
Happy Channel) launched back in March, the private Italian TV network
Mediaset has confirmed that it will launch 2 more channels by the end of
the year. One of the channels will be dedicated to children while the other
will be a sports channel. Originally a news and information channel was
also considered, but the project was abandoned because it was judged to
expensive. Mediaset has already reserved 10 million-DM for the launch of
the new thematic channels, which will be distributed via Telepiù's digital
platform, as is already the case with The Happy Channel. Although the
channel will be offered as part of a pay-TV package, they will also carry
some advertising.
____________________________________________________________________________
_____
- Tra la fine del anno, nasceranno due nuovi canali digitali targati
Mediaset dedicati ai bambini e allo sport. E' stata abbandonata l'idea di
un palinsesto riservato solo all'informazione perchè ritenuto troppo
costoso. L'impegno finanziario di Mediaset per le TV tematiche che saranno
distribuite da Tele+  e di circa 10 miliardi di lire. Ci sarà anche la
pubblicità che comunque sarà marginale e molto limitata.


RAI INTERNATIONAL IN AFRICA
As of April 26th, viewers in South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique,
Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland can tune into the programs of RAI
International. The international service of the Italian public broadcaster
RAI is transmitted in unscrambled digital MPEG-2 via the PANAMSAT PAS-4
satellite located at the 68,5 degrees East orbital position. The channel is
principally aimed at the estimated 80,000 Italians who live in that part of
Africa.
____________________________________________________________________________
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- Da 26 aprile, RAI International trasmette anche in Sud Africa e nei paesi
limitrofi (Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambico, Botswana, Zimbabwe e Swaziland) con
un canale digitale in chiaro attraverso il satellite PANAMSAT PAS-4 (68,5
gradi Est). E' destinato sopratutto agli 80,000 italiani residenti in
quella parte dell'Africa.


CULT NETWORK ITALIA
A new satellite channel called Cult Network Italia (CNI) has made its debut
on May 1st.  The program schedule is made up of movies, music, theatre,
arts programming and documentaries. The new service will collaborate with
major cultural institutions and Universities throughout Italy. CNI is owned
by Stream, Telecom Italia's new digital platform which is due to start
experimental broadcasts via satellite from June to September of this year.
____________________________________________________________________________
_____
-  Stream, la TV digitale di Telecom ora prova una nuova strada attraverso
il satellite. Le trasmissioni sperimentali sono previste da giugno a
settembre. Nel bouquet di proposte entrera' anche una nuova rete denominata
Cul Network Italia, dedicata al cinema ed alla cultura, attiva via cavo dal
1 maggio. Il nuovo canale collaborerà anche con le principali istituzioni
culturali e con le università.


INTERNET VIA SATELLITE
One of the leading computer dealers in Italy, Computer Discount has started
offering potential customers an Internet service via satellite. The
reception kit needed to receive the service which uses a digital
transponder on one of the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD satellites (data transfer with
speeds of 400 Kbytes/s) costs around 995 DM. It is made up of a satellite
dish and special circuit board to be inserted in the computer. The customer
will still access the Internet provider via normal telephone lines but the
data received will come from the satellite.
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- La catena Computer Discount offre ai potenziali clienti accesso a
Internet via satellite. Il servizio sfrutta un transponder digitale a 400
kbits/s del satellite EUTELSAT HOT BIRD. Il kit basato su un'antenna
satellitare e una scheda da inserire nel computer costa 950,000 lire più IVA.


BERLUSCONI AND MURDOCH NEGOTIATE OVER TELECINCO
Following the breakdown in talks for the take-over of the Italian TV
holding company Mediaset, Silvio Berlusconi is once again negotiating with
the Australian-born media magnate Rupert Murdoch. The object of the talks
is a 13% stake (currently held by the Luxembourg based BIL bank) in the
Spanish private TV channel Telecinco. An important fact that should be
taken in account is that BIL also owned a significant stake in Fininvest
when the Italian law prohibited one subject from owning more than a 10%
stake in a pay-TV channel. In reality during that occasion, BIL served as a
"temporary home" for a stake which would later be taken up by other
investors (NetHold and Canal Plus). 
A similar law exists in Spain, which prohibits one operator from owning
more than a 25% stake in a commercial TV channel. To all effects, Mediaset
currently owns a 25% stake in Telecinco with the other stakes held by:
Sotelcin/Gruppo Correo (25%), Telefuturo/Leo Kirch (25%), BIL (13%),
Planeta Corporacion (10%), while private shareholders hold the remaining 2%
stake. It seems however that a judicial inquiry, which is underway in
Spain, has discovered that Berlusconi's company broke the Spanish law by
using "third companies" through which it effectively controlled a 65% stake
of Telecinco.
It seems that Rupert Murdoch is ready to help out his Italian colleague by
buying out BIL's stake in Telecinco and rumours are that the French media
group "Les Echos" is also in the running. Telecinco has reported a
five-fold increase in net revenues, from 1,8 billion pesetas in 1996 to 9
billion pesetas in 1997.
____________________________________________________________________________
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- Mediaset e Murdoch discutono di collaborazioni, ma non in Italia. In
questi giorni la filiale europea della News Corp di Murdoch sta trattando
con gli italiani per sistemare quel 13% della rete spagnola Telecinco che
risulta appartenere alla banca lussemburghese BIL. La banca in passato ha
avuto in parcheggio quote di Telepiù ceduti a terzi da Fininvest quando era
in vigore il divieto per un operatore TV di possedere più del 10% di una
pay-TV italiana. In Spagna esiste una legge simile in base alla quale
nessun operatore può possedere più del 25% di una TV commerciale. In
effetti oggi Mediaset possiede il 25% di Telecinco, ma stando alle ultime
indagini dalle autorità giudiziarie iberiche, in passato le società di
Berlusconi avrebbero violato questo divieto utilizzando alcuni prestanome
per arrivare a possedere fino al 65% di Telecinco. Lo scorso anno Telecinco
ha moltiplicato per cinque gli utili netti.


INCREASED PROFITS FOR TELESPAZIO
Telecom Italia's subsidiary for satellite communications, Telespazio has
reported increased revenues and profits for the past year. The financial
report has shown a 25% increase in revenues (553,5 million DM) compared to
figures from 1996 (442 million DM). Operative results have reached 45
million DM, compared to 30 million DM in 1996.
____________________________________________________________________________
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- Utile e fatturato in crescita per Telespazio, società del gruppo Telecom
Italia che opera nei servizi satellitari. Il bilancio 1997 registra una
crescita di ricavi di circa il 25% rispetto al 1996 e un miglioramento del
risultato operativo.


REUTERS NEWS FOR ITALY
This week saw the launch of Reuters Television's news service for Italy.
The new service is aimed principally at subscribers in Italy. Every day, a
special economic-financial news bulletin called "Briefing Italia" is aired
from 08:15-08:25 hours.
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- "Briefing Italia" è un nuovo telegiornale economico-finanziario trasmesso
da Reuters Television Italia. Questo nuovo programma televisivo in lingua
italiana e destinato ai clienti che hanno già accesso al Reuters TV.


NEWS IN BRIEF
- Mediaset is negotiating a joint-venture agreement with the Argentinean
media company Gruppo Clarin
- Miro Allione has been confirmed as president of Stream, Telecom Italia's
multimedia subsidiary.
- Scrambled transmissions in the Irdeto system have been reported on
Stream's transponder on the HOT BIRD satellites. The frequency 11,836
GHz/Ver has been used for shopping TV programs but it is expected that it
will be the home of Stream's new digital channels.


PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS ON RAI TV CHANNELS FOR WEEK MAY 3-9
(All times Central European)
PRIME-TIME MOVIES
03.05
RAI DUE, 00:05h - Shakespeare a colazione (U.K.-1986), starring: Paul
McGann, Richard E.Grant
04.05
RAI UNO, 20:50h - Ferie d'Agosto (Italy-1996), starring: Silvio Orlando,
Sabrina Ferilli
05.05
RAI UNO, 20:50h - An innocent man (USA-1989), starring: Tom Selleck,
F.Murray Abraham
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Passenger 57 (USA-1992), starring: Wesley Snipes, Bruce
Payne
RAI DUE, 22:45h - Compagna di viaggio (Italy-1996), starring: Michel
Piccoli, Asia Argento
07.05
RAI DUE, 20:50h - In the line of duty (USA-1997), starring: Bruce Campbell,
Lori Laughlin
08.05
RAI TRE, 20:45h - The fugitive (USA-1993), starring: Harrison Ford, Tommy
Lee Jones
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Genetic code (New Zealand-1993), starring: Greg Wise,
Sophie Lee
09.05
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Abduction of innocence (USA-1996), starring: Katie
Wright, Lucie Arnaz
RAI UNO, 00:35h - Annata di pregio (Italy-1993), starring: Patrizia
Piccinini, Renato Carpentieri
RAI DUE, 00:50h - Gioco mortale (Germany), starring: S.Simon, H.Czypionka

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

SPORT
03.05
RAI TRE, 11:05h - Motor racing: GP Spain (125 cc class)
RAI TRE, 12:35h - Motor racing: GP Spain (250 cc class)
RAI DUE, 13:55h - Motor racing: GP Spain (500 cc class)
RAI DUE, 19:00h - Artistic gymnastics: European championships for women
04.05
RAI TRE, 16:30h - Tennis: Italia Open - Rome (women)
RAI TRE, 22:55h - Boxing: World title fight in the welter category,
Duran-Piccirillo
05.05
RAI TRE, 15:35h - Tennis: Italia Open - Rome (women)
06.05
RAI TRE, 16:00h - Tennis: Italia Open - Rome (women)
RAI UNO, 20:40h - Football: UEFA Cup final, Inter-Lazio
07.05
RAI TRE, 16:00h - Volleyball: Italian league
RAI TRE, 16:30h - Tennis: Italia Open - Rome (women)
08.05
RAI TRE, 16:20h - Volleyball (women): Italian league
RAI TRE, 16:30h - Basketball: Italian league
RAI TRE, 17:00h - Tennis: Italia Open - Rome (women)
09.05
RAI TRE, 12:55h - Formula 1: GP Spain - heats
RAI TRE, 15:35h - Volleyball: Italian league, final-5 game
RAI TRE, 17:30h - Tennis: Italia Open - Rome (women)
RAI TRE, 00:05h - Boxing: World title fight in superfly category,
Castiglione-Lagos


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