Italy

[IT] List of Events not to be Transmitted on Pay-TV

IRIS 1998-8:1/17

Roberto Mastroianni

RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, Geneva

On 9 August 1998, the Italian Ministry for Communications adopted a bill indicating the events which must be broadcast free of charge. The bill, intended to implement Art. 3 bis of the amended version of the "Television without Frontiers" Directive (Directive 89/552/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/36/EEC) contains two different lists. The first list indicates the events that have to be transmitted live on air and free of charge. This list includes the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, all the matches played by the Italian national football team, the finals of the World and European Football Cups, and of the three European football Cups for national teams. As for cycle races, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France are also included, together with two nonsporting events: the Festival di Sanremo (a singing competition) and the historical horse race Palio di Siena. The second list indicates the events whose (not necessarily live) coverage free on air can be imposed on broadcasters following a decision from the Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (Authority for Guarantees in Communications). It includes the Italian International Tennis Tournament as well as the Basketball, Track and Field, and Cycling World Cup Finals.

The bill will be passed on to the Authority for Guarantees in Communications, the body formally in charge of the final adoption.