Advanced Television

Mediaset Italia to launch in the US

September 21, 2010

From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset is hoping to launch its new international TV channel, Mediaset Italia, to viewers in the US by the end of November or the beginning of December.

Mediaset Italia is already available in Canada through TLN but has ambitious plans for the North American market, where it wants to target the 15 million Italian Americans. According to Patricio Teubal, the head of sales at Mediaset, the channel will be distributed by International Media Distribution, a unit of Comcast, on the basis of a “revenue sharing” deal. The cost of the subscription will be less than $10 a month. Distribution wise, Mediaset Italia is targetting cable TV systems, DTH platforms (like DirecTV) and IPTV operators (such as Verizon and AT&T).

Mediaset Italia, which presents itself as “#1 Italian Language TV Channel”, airs a selection of programmes broadcast by Mediaset’s three terrestrial TV channels in Italy (Rete 4, Canale 5, Italia 1). The program schedule mainly features variety, with other segments devoted to news, sports and fiction. There will be no imported content and subtitles could be added at a later time.

Mediaset Italia could also be launched in other countries as there are some 60 million Italians around the world.

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