SAT-ITALY 15.05.1998

from: owner-sat-italy@tags1.dn.net
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 18:44:15 +0200
SAT-ITALY - EDITION 20/98 - May 15th 1998 -
Italian Satellite and Media news/Notizie della TV via satellite in Italia 
edited by/editore Branislav Pekic 


MAJOR CHANGES AT RAI
After weeks of debate, the administrative council of RAI has finally
approved the future organisational structure of the Italian public
broadcaster. RAI is set to become a corporation, which will principally be
divided into six divisions. One division provisionally called "Divisione TV
Canali 1 e 2" will include all activities linked to the entertainment and
advertising sectors (including the advertising supported channels RAI Uno
and RAI Due), while another division called "Divisione TV3" will group all
activities financed by the TV license fee, such as the new advertising-free
RAI Tre, the teletext service, RAI International and RaiSat. 
For the first time in it's history, RAI will also have a pay-TV division
which will co-ordinate the activities of NewCo, the content provider for
the future RAI/Telecom Italia digital platform.
The first TV channel RAI Uno will still continue to be a general
entertainment channel aimed at families an a wider audience while RAI Due
will principally be aimed at younger viewers and the urban population. The
relaunched RAI Tre channel will probably see the light of day on January
1st 1999 and will mainly be a regional channel with priority given to
innovative programs. Hopes are that the relaunched service will obtain
audience ratings around 9-10%. There was also talk that RAI may launch an
all-news channel, which would transmit via satellite, with parts of the
programs also being rebroadcast on RAI Tre. Another possibility that has
been discussed is the launch of local TV channels in 4 major Italian cities
- Rome, Milan, Turin and Naples. 
____________________________________________________________________________
______
- Il Consiglio di amministrazione RAI ha approvato il piano di
riorganizzazione aziendale e di quello della rete senza pubblicità. La
nuova RAI sarà probabilmente una corporation che sarà formata da sei
macro-divisioni. La Divisione Tv Canali 1 e 2 comprenderà le attività
legate alla risorsa pubblicitaria e all'intrattenimento commerciale,
comprese le due reti con la pubblicità, RAI Uno e RAI Due. La Divisione Tv3
si occuperà di tutte le funzioni di servizio pubblico finanziate dal
canone: la nuova RAI Tre, Televideo, RaiInternational e RaiSat. Ci sarà
anche la divisione Pay-tv, nella quale confluirà Newco, la società che
dovrà fornire i contenuti alla futura piattaforma digitale RAI/Telecom
Italia.  
RAI Uno viene confermata come rete generalista rivolta alle famiglie e al
grande pubblico, RAI Due come rete generalista rivolta a un pubblico più
giovane e metropolitano rispetto alla media. Ci vorranno almeno nove mesi
perchè la Rete senza Pubblicità diventi realtà e l'obiettivo di ascolto è
del 9-10%. L'informazione regionale goderebbe anche di un canale
satellitare esclusivamente dedicato alle news. Si è cominciato a ipotizzare
anche di partire con una rete di informazione metropolitana nelle quattro
principali città - Roma, Milano, Torino e Napoli. 


STUDIO UNIVERSAL 
The multimedia subsidiary of Telecom Italia, Stream and Universal Studios
have announced on May 12th the launch of a new TV channel which is set to
start broadcasting from May 21st. Studio Universal will air movies from
Universal's huge archives, which include Hollywood classics directed by
Chaplin, Spielberg, Hitchcock and Scorcese among others. The channel will
also show Italian, European as well as movies from other countries. Studio
Universal will initially be available via cable (soon also via satellite)
and will join the so-called "Blu Stream" package which includes a selection
of Italian and foreign language channels. The monthly cost of the package
to subscribers is around 19 DM and more channels are set to join it from
this autumn. Stream is also the leading cable operator in Italy where it's
present since 1997. It currently has around 70,000 subscribers.
____________________________________________________________________________
______
- Uno straordinario pacchetto di film firmati da registi del calibro di
Chaplin, Spielberg, Hitchcock, e Scorsese: è questa la nuova offerta
esclusiva che Stream propone ai propri abbonati dal 21 maggio con il lancio
del canale Studio Universal.Studio Universal nasce dall'accordo tra Stream,
la società multimediale del Gruppo Telecom Italia, e la Universal Studios
con l'intento di mettere a disposizione dei clienti una selezione di film
americani, italiani, europei e di altri paesi. Il nuovo canale, distribuito
su cavo e a breve anche su satellite, entra nel pacchetto base denominato
"Blu Stream", che propone agli abbonati una selezione di canali tematici
italiani e internazionali. "Blu Stream" verrà commercializzato al prezzo di
Lit. 19.000 al mese e sarà ulteriormente arricchito con nuovi servizi
disponibili dall'autunno. 
La Stream - primo operatore via cavo in Italia ha avviato la sua attività
commerciale all'inizio del 1997 e conta oggi circa 70.000 abbonati. 


MEDIASET PRESENTS FINANCIAL REPORT
The administrative council of the private TV broadcaster Mediaset has
approved the financial report for the 1997 fiscal year, which shows an
increase in net revenues of 462,5 million-DM (a 4% increase compared to one
year earlier). The positive trend has also continued during the first
months of this year, which is best illustrated by an increase of 18% in
advertising revenues (by the end of the year they are expected to total
3,670 million-DM). By the year 2000, Mediaset shareholders will be able to
enjoy a return of equity greater than 15% which is a significant increase
compared to the current 13,2%.
Audience wise, Mediaset is also reporting increased viewing figures for
it's 3 TV channels (Canale 5, Italia 1 and Rete 4), especially in the 15-54
year old viewing group. An increase in audience figures is in fact one of
the key objectives of Mediaset which, in the course of this year, plans to
invest 815 million-DM in program acquisitions (compared to 600 million in
1997). An important factor will also be the performance of the group in
foreign markets, especially in the Spain where the Telecinco TV channel (in
which Mediaset has a 25% stake) closed the previous year with revenues of
more than 105 million DM. Mediaset is considering the possibility of
floating Telecinco on the Spanish stock exchange and there is also talk of
launching a local TV channel in Spain.
____________________________________________________________________________
______
- L'assemblea dei soci Mediaset ha approvato i risultati della gestione
1997 che ha generato un utile netto di 462,5 miliardi (+4%). I ricavi
pubblicitari di Mediaset sono cresciuti del 13%, mentre per fine anno è
previsto che raggiungeranno i 3.670 miliardi di lire. Si prevede per l'anno
2000 che la redditività del capitale investito sarà superiore al 15%. Il
gruppo sta ottenendo anche successo nell'audience dei suoi programmi
televisivi, soprattutto nella fascia d'età dei telespettatori, compresa tra
i 15 e i 54 anni. Per quest'anno è prevista una spesa di 815 miliardi per
investimenti in diritti televisivi, contro i 600 miliardi del 1997. In
Spagna, il canale Telecinco (in quale Mediaset ha il 25%) ha chiuso il 1997
in utile per oltre 105 miliardi. 


RAI INTERNATIONAL REPORTS LOSSES
The international TV service of the Italian public broadcaster, RAI
International is set to lose nearly 50 million-DM in the course of this
financial year. The losses for the service directed by Roberto Morrione are
principally due to high costs for the expansion of transmissions to the
Asian continent as well as to program production costs (such as a new
documentary series about Italy produced by Francis Ford Coppola). To add
insult to injury, the Minister for foreign trade, Augusto Fantozzi recently
expressed his disappointment with the programming of the channel.
____________________________________________________________________________
______
- La TV degli italiani all'estero, RAI International annuncia un deficit
per questo anno di quasi 50 miliardi di lire. Le perdite della struttura
diretta da Roberto Morrione sono dovute principalmente all'espansione delle
trasmissioni all'Asia e costi di programmazione (come una serie di
documentari sull'Italia prodotti da Francis Ford Coppola).


CULT NETWORK ITALIA
Here is an update to a news item from last week's edition of SAT-ITALY
concerning the launch of Cult Network Italia. The new channel is part of
the "basic" bouquet of channels offered to cable subscribers by Stream, the
multimedia subsidiary of Telecom Italia. The "basic" bouquet includes 10
Italian and foreign channels and costs around 19 DM a month (not including
the cost of the digital decoder). Cult Network Italia is also transmitted
experimentally (the full launch will be in September) on Stream's new
digital satellite platform via the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD orbital position. The
channel is a joint venture between Stream and the U.S. based company
Creative Network International. Initially it broadcasts 8 hours a day and
the whole block of programming is repeated 3 times a day. Fifty percent of
the programming is made up of movies, but there are also shorts,
documentaries and live music.
____________________________________________________________________________
______
- Il nuovo canale tematico della Stream, Cult Network Italia ha fatto il
suo esordio il 1 maggio. Forma parte dal pacchetto "basic" via cavo (dieci
canali a 19.000 lire al mese, più l'affitto del decoder) ma trasmette
esperimentalmente anche via satellite (il lancio ufficiale è previsto per
settembre). Il partner di Stream nel nuove canale digitale e l'americana
Creative Network International. Cult Network Italia propone 8 ore di
programmi, replicati tre volte al giorno (film, documentari, cortometraggi
e musica dal vivo).


SCT AGAIN ON THE MOVE
The Italian hard-core porn channel Satisfaction Club Television (SCT) is
once again switching satellites and frequencies. It has left ceased all
transmissions via the EUTELSAT HOT BIRD 2 and 3 satellites where it was
available on the following frequencies: 12, 092 GHz/Hor, 12,111 GHz/Ver and
12,188 GHz/Ver as well as 11,146 GHz/Hor on the EUTELSAT II F1 bird. SCT
fans will now find the channel only on transponder 39 (11,658 GHz/Ver) on
the EUTELSAT II F1 satellite, daily from 23:15-00:55 hours. The channel is
scrambled in the Ping-Pong system.
____________________________________________________________________________
______
- Cambiamento di frequenza e transponder per il canale hard-core
Satisfaction Club Television. Invece delle frequenze 11,146 GHz/Hor, 12,092
GHz/Hor, 12,111 GHz/Ver (bouquet Telespazio) e 12,188 GHz/Ver (bouquet
British Telecom), SCT continua a trasmettere sulla stessa posizione
orbitale (13 gradi est) ma sulla frequenza 11.658 GHz/Ver. L'orario delle
trasmissioni è dalle 23:15 alle 00:55, il sistema di codifica resta Ping
Pong.. 


NEWS IN BRIEF
- Experimental broadcasts of Mediaset's Electronic Program Guide have
recently been reported on the Rete 4 and Canale 5 channels, which are
transmitted as part of Telepiù's digital bouquet. 
- RAI Tre has been testing in clear MPEG-2 on the EUTELSAT II F1 satellite,
frequency 11,548 GHz/Ver (Symbol rate, FEC 7/8, VPid 0201 and APid 028B).


Do you want to keep up to date with the latest satellite and media news
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behind SAT-ITALY comes SAT-IBERIA, a weekly news service in English
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is sponsored by TELE-SATELLITE INTERNATIONAL. Check out
http://www.sat-net.com for more details.


PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS ON RAI TV CHANNELS FOR WEEK MAY 17-23
(All times Central European)
PRIME-TIME MOVIES
17.05
RAI DUE, 00:05h - L'anno prossimo...vado a letto alle dieci (Italy-1995),
starring: Angelo Orlando, Ricky Memphis
18.05
RAI UNO, 20:50h - It takes two (USA-1996), starring: Steve Guttenberg,
Kirstie Alley
19.05
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Der clown (Germany-1996), starring: Sven Martinek, Diana
Frank
20.05
RAI UNO, 20:50h - To my daughter with love (USA-1993), starring: Linda
Gray, Ricky Schroeder
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Genetic code (New Zealand-1993), starring: Greg Wise,
Sophie Lee
21.05
RAI TRE, 20:40h - Widow's kiss (USA-1994), starring: Bruce Davison, Beverly
d'Angelo
RAI DUE, 00:35h - Primo esemplare (USA-1995), starring: Mark Paul
Goesselaar, D.O.Keefe
22.05
RAI TRE, 20:40h - Il mio nome e Nessuno (Italy/France-1974), starring:
Terence Hill
RAI DUE, 00:30h - Le tre prove di Fred (Germany-1995), starring: Katia
Reimann, Christoph M.Ohrt
23.05
RAI DUE, 20:50h - Bad runaway (USA-1996), starring: Lee Remick, Tony Musante
RAI UNO, 00:35h - Una pura formalita (Italy/France-1994), starring: Gerard
Depardieu, Roman Polanski

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

SPORT
17.05
RAI TRE, 12:25h - Motor racing: GP Italy, 250 cc category
RAI DUE, 13:55h - Motor racing: GP Italy, 500 cc category
RAI TRE, 14:25h - Tennis: Italia Open (final)
RAI DUE, 19:00h - Basketball: Italian league, playoff (1st final)
23.05
RAI TRE, 12:55h - Formula 1: GP Monaco, qualifying heats
RAI TRE, 18:00h - Volleyball (women): Italian league, final-play-off
RAI DUE, 22:35h - Football (under 21s): Italy-Scotland, friendly 

MUSIC
21.05
RAI UNO, 20:50h - San Remo Top - taking part are winners of this year's San
Remo music festival


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