Italy

[IT] Project on Dominant Positions in the Television Sector

IRIS 2002-8:1/16

Maja Cappello

Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (AGCOM)

On 3 July 2002, the Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (Italian Communications Authority - AGCOM) started a project with the aim of analysing the distribution of financial resources in the Italian broadcasting sector during the period 1998-2000 (Analisi della distribuzione delle risorse economiche del settore televisivo nel triennio 1998-2000, Deliberation n. 212/02/CONS, in Gazzetta Ufficiale of 10 August 2002, n. 187). The analysis will consider a survey based on a decision adopted by AGCOM on 13 June 2000 concerning the verification of actual and possible future developments in the television broadcasting sector, from the point of view of the safeguarding of competition and pluralism. This makes particular reference to access to production factors, the number of enterprises, their dimension and audience and also takes account of the perspectives offered by multimedia and digital technologies. The results of the verifications made by the Dipartimento Vigilanza e Controllo (Monitoring and Control Department of AGCOM) may allow it to be presumed that the concentration thresholds established by the Communications Act (Istituzione dell'Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni e norme sui sistemi delle telecomunicazioni e radiotelevisivo, Act of 31 July 1997, no. 249, in Gazzetta Ufficiale of 31 July 1997, no. 177) have not been respected by some national broadcasters, which is what this project is going to prove.