Italy: Viacom acquires FTA channel Super!
October 18, 2019
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom, has announced the acquisition of the remaining 50 per cent of Super Broadcast, the company that owns and operates the free-to-air kids’ TV channel, Super!, from De Agostini Editore.
Super! is aimed at children aged 4-14 with a pipeline of local and International content. As part of this transaction, De Agostini Editore will continue to collaborate with VIMN Italy providing De Agostini’s original content to the channel.
Raffaele Annecchino, President and MD, Southern and Western Europe, Middle East & Africa, VIMN, commeneted: “I’m pleased to confirm this new achievement in our ongoing strategy to strengthen our presence in Italy, a market where we have a strong position on pay-TV with our main brands and premium content, including Nickelodeon. The acquisition of Super! further reinforces the VIMN relevance in the kids’ segment in Italy and increases the exposure of our properties and touchpoints.”
“Super! Has gone far beyond our expectations: launched in 2012 in an overcrowded market, by 2018 the channel had gained a leading position in the kids Italian sector, which was achieved for a second year in 2019. Now we’re passing it to Viacom, who will further enhance the heritage of the brand Super!. We, as De Agostini, will focus our efforts on our channels distributed on Pay TV, on our digital platforms as well as on content production and co-production, which we have already successfully developed in these past few years”, added Pierfrancesco Gherardi, Managing Director Digital Division, De Agostini Editore.
Through the acquisition of Super! Viacom in Italy will reach more than 35 million viewers per month and strengthen its position in the market as one of the most important international media networks in Italy.
Viacom already owns and operates three free-to-air digital terrestrial TV channels in Italy – Paramount Network, Spike, VH1 – and also owns 11 branded channels including MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., which are all distributed on Italy’s leading pay platform, Sky.