The four major TV broadcasters in Italy (Mediaset, Sky Italia, RAI and La7) saw a 3.5 per cent annual drop in revenues during 2013 to €8.97 billion (-9 per cent over the past five years), according to the R&S report of Mediobanca, mainly due to a 9.5 per cent fall in advertising revenues (-15.5 per cent in the period 2009-2013).

Subscription services held up (+0.3 per cent in 2013, +7.6 per cent from 2009) as did the TV licence fees for RAI (+0.5 per cent last year, up 6.6 per cent over the five years).

In terms of turnover, Mediaset group led with €3.36 billion (without the Spanish subsidiary it would drop to third place with €2.44 billion), followed by Sky Italia with €2.85 billion, RAI with €2.65 billion and La7 with €115 million. However, it is worth pointing out that the Mediobanca study did not take into account Discovery Channel, who achieved a turnover of €144 million in 2013, thus becoming the fourth largest broadcasting group in Italy.

Mediaset achieved profits of €571 million in the five-year period (closing only 2012 with a loss); Sky Italia’s profits were €314 million (it was in the red only last year for €48 million); RAI accumulated losses of €396 million between 2009 and 2013 (posting a profit only in 2011 and 2013), while La7 never managed to turn a profit with losses reaching a total of €507 million.

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