Italy

[IT] Television and telecommunications Bill announced Länder on Broadcasting now available

IRIS 1996-7:1/25

Roberto Mastroianni

RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, Geneva

During a Hearing before a Parliamentary committee held on 25 June 1996, the Telecomunications Minister announced that a Bill was being drafted on an order of new television and telecommunication services. As reported in IRIS 1995-1: 19, the Italian Constitutional Court decided on 5 December 1995 that Article 15 of the Law governng public and private broadcasting in Italy (Law No 223 of 6 August 1990) is unconstitutional for the reason that it provides for a dominant position of a private commercial broadcaster (the Fininvest Group) in the audiovisual market (three nationwide channels). Despite this, the Constitutional Court held that the provision could remain in force until August 1996.

At the closing date of this issue of IRIS, the Bill to amend the 1990 Statute was expected to be introduced in Parliament by mid-July. The Bill is said to cover issues like anti-trust rules relating to television; a new advertising regime for public and private television; rules on telecommunication networks and services; the role of public broadcasters; the establishment of a new authority to supervise the traditional media (TV, radio, and the press) and providers of telecommunication services.

In regard to the antitrust rules for television, it is expected that the Government will propose anti-concentration rules which will be based on the revenues of the owners of television broadcast licences. Already concerns have been expressed about the consistency of this choice with possible future European initiatives in this field ( see IRIS 1995 - Special Issue: 12-14; Crabit, Emmanuel; "Pluralism and media concentration": 10 questions and answers on the Commission's work).

Detailed information on the Bill will be provided in the September issue of IRIS.