Mediaset

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Mediaset S.p.A.

Mediaset headquarters in Cologno Monzese (Milan)
Type	Società per azioni
Traded as	BIT: MS FTSE MIB Component
ISIN	IT0001063210
Industry	Mass media
Founded	10 February 1980; 41 years ago (1980-02-10)
Founder	Silvio Berlusconi
Headquarters	Cologno Monzese, Milan, Italy
Key people	Pier Silvio Berlusconi CEO
Products	Free-to-air and subscription television broadcasting Radio Television Production
Revenue	€3.401 billion (2018)
Net income	€0.471 billion (2018)
Owner	Fininvest (44.18%)[1] Vivendi (28.80%)[2] treasury stocks (3.795%)[1] others (29.14%)
Number of employees	9.312 (2017)
Parent	Fininvest
Subsidiaries	Mediaset España Comunicación (50.2%)
Website	www.mediaset.it

Mediaset S.p.A., also known as Gruppo Mediaset in Italian, is an Italian-based mass media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country. Founded in 1987 by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and still controlled today with a 38.6% stake by his family's holding company Fininvest, the group competes primarily against the public broadcaster RAI, the privately owned La7 and (through Sky Group Limited) Comcast's Sky Italia.

Mediaset's headquarters are in Milan, Lombardy. Many of its studios are located in the Milano 2 area of Segrate, a municipality bordering Milan, where broadcasts of local station TeleMilano (now airing nationally as Mediaset's Canale 5) began in 1978. After merging with various local broadcaster to form the Canale 5 syndication, much production was moved to Cologno Monzese, where the infrastructure of the former Telealtomilanese was present. The company currently has three main television production centres, in Milan (Segrate, Cologno Monzese) and Rome.^[3]

Due to their proximity to Italy, other countries including France, Croatia, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Albania, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and Slovenia also receive Mediaset broadcasts.

In addition to its domestic television interests, Mediaset also operates a series of news, entertainment and sport websites; holds 50.1% of the Spanish broadcasting firm Mediaset España Comunicación; owns the film production company .

History[]

Beginnings in late 70s[]

Mediaset's story began in 1978, with Telemilano, a local Milan-based broadcaster that became Canale 5 two years later and began broadcasting nationally. Canale 5 was subsequently joined by Italia 1 (bought from the publishing group Rusconi in 1982) and Rete 4 (acquired from Arnoldo Mondadori Editore in 1984). Television area was called RTI and became established with three national analogue networks, supported by an advertising sales company, Publitalia '80, that exclusively collects advertising for all three channels, and two other companies, Videotime, that manages TV technology and production activities, and Elettronica Industriale that guarantees signal distribution through the management of the broadcasting infrastructure.

From late 90s to early 2000: the evolution[]

Branding the company under his own image and having prior experience with the cable broadcasting industry during his time in Milan, Berlusconi expanded into many media ventures such as television, film and radio industries; and in 1996, RTI, Videotime, Publitalia and Elettronica Industriale were brought together in a single group, Mediaset, which was then listed on the Milan stock exchange, opening up the company to both important institutional investors and private investors (around 300,000). In 1997, Mediaset expands outside Italy with the acquisition of a 25% stake in the Spanish broadcaster, Telecinco. In 1999, Mediaset Group expands its web-based activities with a television portal dedicated to Canale 5, Italia 1 and Retequattro and a daily online news service, is accessible from a range of media (internet, TV, radio, Mediavideo teletext and mobile phones).

In 2003, Mediaset increases its stake in Telecinco and becomes the major shareholder with 50.1% of the shares. The following year the Spanish TV company was listed on the Madrid stock exchange. In 2004, with the debut in Italy of digital terrestrial television, an innovative signal broadcasting system that uses standard aerials and a small set-top box. Mediaset launches Mediashopping, a shopping channel.

2005-2007: Pay-TV and Acquisitions[]

In 2005, the group launched Mediaset Premium, a pay digital terrestrial television service which offered live Serie A football, with a pre-paid card and without a subscription. Mediaset Premium also had a pay-per-view offer including films (including first TV-screenings), theatre and live events. In 2006, Mediaset launched Europe's first digital terrestrial Mobile TV network using DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast Handheld) technology.

In 2007, Mediaset became a major network due to its international expansion and new acquisitions. In a consortium with and Goldman Sachs, they acquired from Telefonica a controlling interest in Endemol. The Dutch production company buys Medusa, Italy's leading film production and distribution company. In 2008, they reached an agreement regarding the acquisition of Taodue.^{[citation needed]}

Mediaset decides to enter the Chinese market by obtaining the licence to sell advertisements for which in October launched the sports channel , a consortium of seven regional broadcasters with an audience reach of 400 million viewers. which sells international advertising for the channel; launching a new free Italian digital terrestrial channel, Iris, featuring auteur cinema, music, literature and theatre.

2008-2009: Expansion[]

In 2008, the creation of Premium Gallery, a new digital terrestrial premium content offer available with a pre-paid card. Three new channels, Joi, Mya, Steel, where viewers can see exclusive previews of the best TV series and films from Time Warner and NBC-Universal. In July, the Gallery family was joined by the Disney Channel and kicks off. At 2008 end, the Premium Gallery offering further improved with the launch of Premium Fantasy, including four proposals dedicated to children and teenagers. In addition to Disney Channel and , the expanded offering includes: Playhouse Disney, Cartoon Network, Hiro.

In the same year, Telecinco entered the North American market with the acquisition of a 29.2% stake in Caribevision - a US broadcaster for the country's Spanish-speaking population - while a joint venture was established between Medusa Film and Taodue, leader in the production of quality TV dramas. The union of these two companies will lead to the creation of an Italian production unit which will compete with the main international majors.

In 2009, Mediaset launched a new website.

Mediaset Premium doubled its offer of cinema with the launch of and the much anticipated re-launch of Studio Universal. On 20 November Mediaset Premium launched a new feature: Premium-On-Demand, a digital library with 50 films, updated daily, and American TV series. Also 20 November Premium also launched two features dedicated to the cinema: and .

and Mondadori Pubblicità, stipulated an agreement for the realisation of a joint initiative aiming at gathering advertising on line. On the basis of this agreement, a new company was founded on 30 July owned jointly by .

On 31 July Mediaset sees the launch of Tivù Sat, Italy's first free digital satellite platform, built by a company jointly owned by RAI (48.25%), Mediaset (48.25%) and (3.5%). TivùSat is a complementary platform to the existing digital terrestrial platform, and is able to reach areas of the country not covered by the terrestrial networks.

On 18 December 2009 Mediaset S.p.A., the subsidiary Telecinco and approved and signed an agreement that foresees, conditional upon determined conditions being met, the acquisition by Telecinco of a newly founded company which will include the company part of Cuatro and its shareholding of 22% in Digital Plus.

2010[]

In 2010, the title is operational: an internal press agency that will provide images, news and services for all of Mediaset's news structures. Two free-to-air channels were launched: La5, dedicated to a mainly female audience; Mediaset Extra, dedicated to Mediaset channels' entertainment programmes from yesterday and today.

Mediaset Premium see the launch of : previews of films in HD. From October, Premium will broadcast, using the on demand system films in 3D. To watch the films, viewers will need a 3D TV and a normal Premium On Demand HD decoder which, as well as providing a high definition signal, is also equipped to carry 3D.

The Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (the Spanish antitrust commission), with a resolution dated 28 October 2010, authorised the acquisition by Gestevision Telecinco S.A. of exclusive control of Sociedad General De Television Cuatro S.A.U. through the purchase of 100% of its share capital, subordinate to certain conditions. Telecinco, having met the suspension conditions to which it was subjected, today acquired a 22% stake in "DTS Distribuidora de Televisión Digital SA" ("Digital+") and 100% of the share capital of "Four Television SAU" ("Sogecuatro"), holder, among other things, of the free-to-air channel "Cuatro". This operation resulted in the Mediaset Group becoming Spain?s biggest television operator.

2011[]

Mediaset launched a new service called , a new non-linear "over-the-top" TV system that offers films, TV series, cartoons, documentaries, football; in addition to all of the Mediaset channels' programmes of the last seven days and the entire offer can be seen also on a PC with the same quality as on TV. Premium Net TV is a completely open, independent network system, viewable with any Gold Stamp digital decoder and a broadband connection from any telephone carrier and it is included in the standard Mediaset Premium subscription, without any additional cost.

Mediaset launched four new channels on its digital terrestrial platform: BBC Knowledge and Discovery World that broadcast documentaries; while dedicated to enthusiasts of thrillers and detective stories and to those who love both Italian and American light comedy.

Mediaset launched new three free-to-air channels: , in which Mediaset will reinforce its presence in the mail order sales sector with a new brand and a new approach; TgCom24, a new, live, free-to-air, all news channel, also available online in live streaming on the TgCom24 website, and on smartphones and tablets.

In November, Italian viewers can access , a new TV service.

2013[]

Mediaset launched a new service called Infinity, a new non-linear "over-the-top" TV system that offers films, TV series, cartoons, anime; in addition to all of the Mediaset channels' programmes.

Mediaset launched a new free-to-air channel: Top Crime.

2018[]

Mediaset launched a two new free-to-air channel: 20 and Focus. Mediaset removed Mediaset HD Premium channels on 1 June 2018.

2019[]

Mediaset launched a two new free-to-air channel: Boing Plus (owned by Boing S.p.A.) and Mediaset Extra 2.

Holdings[]

Free-to-air channels[]

Channel	LCN on DVB-T	LCN on Tivùsat	Launched	Description
Rete 4	4, 104, 504	4, 104	January 4, 1982	Generalist
Rete 4 HD			December 5, 2012
Canale 5	5, 105, 505	5, 105	November 11, 1980	Generalist
Canale 5 HD			December 5, 2012
Italia 1	6, 106, 506	6, 106	January 3, 1982	Generalist
Italia 1 HD			December 5, 2012
20	20	20, 120	April 3, 2018	Series TV, movies, and sports
20 HD	-
Iris	22	11	November 30, 2007	Series TV and movies
La5	30	12	May 12, 2010	Female-oriented
Cine34	34	34	January 20, 2020	Italian movies of all time
Focus	35	60	May 17, 2018	Documentaries
Top Crime	39	39	June 1, 2013	Series TV and movies
Boing	40	40	November 20, 2004	Child-oriented
Boing Plus	45	-	July 11, 2019	Child-oriented/baby-oriented
Cartoonito	46	41	August 22, 2011	Baby-oriented
TgCom24	51	25	November 11, 2011	All news
Mediaset Extra	55	17	November 26, 2010	Best Mediaset's series TV and shows
Italia 2	66	16	July 4, 2011	Young male-oriented
Radio 105 TV	157	-	December 23, 2019	Radio TV
R101 TV	167	-	June 4, 2014
Virgin Radio TV	257	-	November 6, 2018
Radio Monte Carlo TV	-	67	April 10, 2020

Pay television channels[]

Channel	LCN on DVB-T	LCN on Sky	Launched	Description
Premium Action	459	-	April 1, 2013	Series TV
Premium Action HD	-	125	June 23, 2015
Premium Crime	503	-	July 1, 2011
Premium Crime HD	-	10	June 23, 2015
Premium Stories	462	-
Premium Stories HD	-	14	June 4, 2018
Premium Cinema 1	463	-	July 1, 2020	Movies
Premium Cinema 1 HD	-	313
Premium Cinema 1 +24 HD	-	314
Premium Cinema 2	464	-
Premium Cinema 2 HD	-	315
Premium Cinema 3	465	-
Premium Cinema 3 HD	-	316

Radio channels[]

Channel	Format	Launch
Radio 105	CHR/Urban music	February 16, 1976
R101	Hot AC	March 10, 1976 (as Radio Milano International)
Virgin Radio	Rock	July 12, 2007
Radio Monte Carlo	Adult contemporary/World music	March 6, 1966
Radio Subasio	Easy listening/Italian music	February 7, 1976

Pay TV OTT (Italy)[]

• Mediaset Play Infinity

Other foreign channels[]

• Nessma TV (Maghreb) 25%

Film Studio[]

• Medusa Film

External broadcasting services (outside Italy)[]

• Mediaset Italia

Production centres[]

Milan

• TV production centre Cologno Monzese
• TV production centre Segrate

Rome

• TV production centre Palatino
• TV production centre Helios
• Drama Department - Via Aurelia Antica

Impact[]

A 2019 study in The American Economic Review examined the impact of Mediaset on Italy during its rollout in the 1980s. The study compared voting habits of people who grew up in towns and regions that got early access to Mediaset against ones that only got late access to Mediaset. The study noted that Mediaset's programming, especially during the 80s & 90s, was far more slanted toward entertainment and contained far less news and educational content than its competitor, the RAI. It also concluded that "individuals with early access to Mediaset all-entertainment content were more likely to vote for Berlusconi's party in 1994, when he first ran for office... we find that individuals exposed to entertainment TV as children were less cognitively sophisticated and civic-minded as adults, and ultimately more vulnerable to Berlusconi's populist rhetoric."^[4] The study said the effect included populist parties in general that offered simple slogans and easy cure-alls, including non-Berlusconi populist parties such as the Five Star Movement.^[5]

Lawsuits[]

Europa 7[]

In January 2008, the European Court of Justice ruled that the TV frequencies used by Mediaset to broadcast Rete 4 were shared out unfairly. They should have been given to Europa 7, a competitor channel, the judges maintain, and Rete 4 should be broadcast via satellite instead. Although the Italian Council of State, the highest court on administrative matters, has confirmed that the Italian government should abide by this European ruling, Rete 4 continues its operation on analog frequencies and on DVB-T.^[6]

Google[]

On 30 July 2008, Mediaset filed a lawsuit against Google for €500 million (US$779 million) charging copyright infringement. The company stated that 325 hours worth of material was uploaded to YouTube and the result was the loss of 315,672 viewing days and ad revenue.^[7][8]

Sky Italia[]

On September 16, 2009, SKY Italia (fully owned by News Corporation) filed a lawsuit to the Court of Milan, Italy, against and for a violation of Article 82 of European Treaty that regulates free economic competition between companies, in particular for refusing to allow SKY Italia to purchase advertising on the three main Mediaset television channels (Canale 5, Italia 1 and Rete 4),^[9] exercising Article 700 of the Italian Civil Procedural Code who permit to require an urgent action.^[10] Mediaset has rejected the charge of antitrust violations, stating that in 2009 it had broadcast SKY Italia commercials 3107 times on its channels, whereas SKY Italia has always refused to broadcast Mediaset commercials.^[11]

See also[]

• TGCOM, an Italian news website owned by Mediaset
• Television in Italy

References[]

External links[]

• Official website