RAI, Mediaset and Sky launch new DTT
January 13, 2015
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Leading Italian broadcasters RAI, Mediaset and Sky Italia are expected to launch new channels on DTT in 2015, while Discovery Italia has announced the closure of GXT.
Sky Italia is set to bring its all-news channel SkyTG24, currently only available in its pay-TV offer via satellite, on DTT channel 27, free-to-air, taking the place of ClassTV.
Mediaset is planning a 24-hour FTA channel called Novela, aimed at fans of South American soap operas and TV series. According to some reports, Novela could take the place of Mediaset Shopping on channel 123, possibly as early as January 19th.
Public broadcaster RAI, which currently broadcasts two FTA sports channels, RaiSport 1 and RaiSport 2, should launch an HD version of RaiSport 1 this summer. At the same time, RaiSport 2 would be closed down, opting instead to air the same programs as RaiSport 1 HD but in standard definition.