Italy

[IT] AGCOM launches new public consultation on the prominence of audiovisual and radio media services of general interest

IRIS 2025-6:1/20

Ernesto Apa & Eugenio Foco

Portolano Cavallo

On 13 May 2025, the Italian Communications Authority (AGCOM) launched a public consultation aimed at reviewing the guidelines on the prominence of audiovisual and radio media services of general interest (SGIs).

It it worth remembering that the Italian AVMS Code provides that adequate prominence must be given to audiovisual and radio media services of general interest provided through any platform. The Italian AVMS Code then assigns to AGCOM the task of defining, by means of specific guidelines, the criteria for qualifying a service as a service of general interest, as well as the methods and criteria that various operators (e.g. manufacturers of equipment capable of receiving radio or television signals) must conform to in order to ensure compliance with the provisions on prominence.

AGCOM enacted the provision in 2024. However, following its initial implementation, AGCOM identified the need to review the guidelines. Indeed, AGCOM noted that, based on the guidelines adopted in 2024, more than 700 commercial services could be qualified as SGIs whose prominence had to be ensured.

In light of such an intricate framework, AGCOM called for the rationalisation of the way in which the SGIs present themselves with the aim of promoting their accessibility and visibility to users. In a nutshell, compared to the current guidelines, through public consultation, AGCOM proposes:

(i) to re-shape the range of audiovisual and radio media services that can be defined as being of “general interest”;

(ii) to reduce the portion of space on the homepage used to give prominence to SGIs;

(iii) that Smart-TVs, DTT (Digital terrestrial television) and satellite decoders, dongles, set-top boxes, car radios, in-car infotainment and other devices allowing access to SGIs are required to comply with prominence obligations, but the following devices are expressly excluded: smartphones, tablets, personal computers and games consoles;

(iv) that the SGI apps should not necessarily be pre-installed on devices; and

(v) that the guidelines should only apply to those devices commercialised six months or more after the publication of the list of SGIs.

It is worth noting that the guidelines expressly state that users may at any time customise the home page and that commercial agreements are allowed between audiovisual media service providers and device manufacturers in order to secure a prominent position on the home page.

Operators interested in participating in the public consultation must submit their contributions by 12 June 2025.