Italy

[IT] List of Events Not to Be Transmitted on Pay-TV Adopted

IRIS 1999-1:1/16

Roberto Mastroianni

RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, Geneva

Following the proposal set forth by the Ministry for Communications (see IRIS 1998-8:10), the Italian Authority for Guarantees in Communications ( Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni) adopted on 16 December 1998 a final list of events which are not allowed to be transmitted exclusively on pay television. The adoption of such a list is required by Art. 3 bis paragraph 3 of the amended version of the "Television without Frontiers" Directive (Directive 89/552/EEC, as amended by Directive 97/36/EEC).

Compared with the proposal of the Ministry, the final list presents slight modifications. All the events considered are sporting events, with the exception of the national singing competition Festival di Sanremo.

The list includes the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup final and all the matches involving the Italian team; the final and all the matches involving the national football team in official tournaments at home and abroad, the finals and semi-finals of the Champions League, and the UEFA Cup if Italian teams are playing; the cycling race Giro d'Italia and the Formula One race in Monza.

A second list has also been approved, including events which have to be transmitted free on the air if the Autorità so requires. This "B" list includes the finals of the Basketball, Water-polo and Volleyball World Cups, as well as the finals and semi-finals of the tennis Davis Cup if Italian teams are involved, and the World Road Cycling Championship.

The regulation aims at ensuring full live coverage of listed events from both groups, with the exceptions of the Olympic Games, the Giro d'Italia and the World Road Cycling Championship for which partial live coverage is allowed because of objective scheduling difficulties.

In drawing up the list, the Autorità consulted with the national public and private televisions, with the European Association of Commercial televisions as well as with rights- holders such as national and international football associations and the International Olympic Committee.

The Autorità is authorised to review the lists after a period of two years.