Italy

[IT] New Licensing Regulation Adopted

IRIS 1999-1:1/17

Emanuela Poli

Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (AGCOM)

At the beginning of December 1998, the Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni adopted a Licensing Regulation concerning the application procedures for terrestrial broadcasting licences ( See IRIS 1998-10 : 12). These are to be granted by 31 January 1999 by the Ministry of Communication. Applications will be evaluated by a commission of experts instituted by the Ministry, chosen from among persons proposed by the Autorità. Applications will be short-listed according to a points system which will take into account: the applicant's business plan, investments, and the strategy of network development; the quality of programmes; the number of employees; experience accumulated in the television sector and in other communication sectors.

Additional points can be granted to applicants who commit themselves to making channels available for Digital Terrestrial Television within the next 24 months. The digital license fee will be waived for a period of 6 years for applicants who undertake to broadcast on digital terrestrial frequencies within the next 36 months. A reduction of up to 50 % of their analogue licence fee is also provided for. Lastly, digital channels, when used for the simulcasting of programmes already broadcast in analogue, will not be subject to the anti-trust provisions of Law 249/97, regulating the Italian communications system and establishing the Autorità.