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TS News - Lack Of Music Channel Hits Italian Music Market

TELE-satellit News, 6 September 1996

Lack Of Music Channel Hits Italian Music Market
  ROME, Italy, 96/09/05 (TS) -- In contrast to other Western countries, the
video clip market in Italy is marginal and is currently in a serious crisis.
Last year, only 5 billion lira was invested in production of video-clips,
compared to 300 billion spent on production of advertisements.

  For the first time, production companies have reported 50% decrease in
profit for the first six months of 1996. "The principal cause of this is the
closing down of Videomusic", explains Marco Balich, a producer with Film
Master Clip in an interview in Italian daily "La Repubblica."

  "We cannot understand why Cecchi Gori, at a time when niche TV channels
are appearing all over the world, has decided to transform the only Italian
network dedicated to music to a a general entertainment network".

  His words are echoed by world famous Italian artist Eros Ramazzotti who
adds "In all countries, except Italy, exist television channels entirely
dedicated to music. The situation is Italy is a disaster especially for
artists who need to affirm themselves. I have the luck to at least be
mentioned on the TV news. But what about the others?"

  Italian media magnate Vittorio Cecchi Gori last year bought Italy's only
non-stop dedicated music channel Videomusic and since transformed it into
two services - Videomusic (operating till 18:00 hours) and TMC 2 - a general
entertainment channel.

  Meanwhile, MTV Europe is increasing its presence in Italy. Thanks to an
agreement with pay-TV service Telepiu, MTV is carried 13 hours a day,
unscrambled, via the terrestrial transmitters of Telepiu 3. It reaches an
estimated 11 million households throughout Italy and has become the fifth
most popular channel among young viewers (15-34 year age group).

  By: Branislav Pekic

(c)TELE-satellit 1996. All rights reserved.
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