Pax television breaks out between Sky and Mediaset. After fifteen years of battles, the two TV giants finally manage to come to an agreement, signing an agreement that could represent a first step towards the birth of a single Pay TV capable of offering users a 360-degree offer.
THE HISTORIC AGREEMENT BETWEEN SKY AND MEDIASET
For the moment, however, the two former contenders have decided to exchange a package of leading channels while waiting for the important changes that could come in the near future: the sports offer of Sky will be broadcast on digital terrestrial through the frequency bands held by Mediaset. Premium cinema and TV series instead they return to the satellites of Sky which, after the "blackout" decided two years ago, broadcasts Alfa programs again.
In fact, until a few years ago, Sky subscribers had the opportunity to watch Canale 5, Italia Uno and Rete 4. From today, however, they will be able to enjoy "Premium" content. But there's more because between November and December of this year, Rupert Murdoch's giant will be able to buy Premium's technological platform – “Operation pay” area – while content and customer management will remain with Mediaset. In the event Mediaset decides to sell, the transfer "would naturally be subject to the approval of the competent authorities (Antitrust and AgCom)" explains the company in a note, underlining that "any exercise of the right to sell will not entail any discontinuity to the activity of Mediaset Premium which will continue to manage its offer and its customer base".
The agreement was signed by the managing directors of Mediaset, Pier Silvio Berlusconi, and his Sky counterpart, Andrea Zappia.
THE MEDIASET PROGRAMS WE WILL SEE ON SKY
But let's go into the details of the agreement to understand, in detail, what we will be able to see and where.
They will land on Sky 5 movie channels and 4 TV series channels currently available only on Mediaset Premium. All without paying an extra euro for the subscription. Films and TV series will also be available on Sky on demand and can be viewed by users at any time.
On Sky, in addition to the classic 12 HD channels, the following will be visible: Premium Cinema and Premium Cinema +24, Premium Cinema Energy (on action cinema), Premium Cinema Emotion (romantic comedies), Premium Cinema Comedy.
Subscribers to Sky Family will also have the opportunity to see: Premium Action (action and superhero series), Premium Crime, Premium Joi and Premium Stories (comedy series).
"By the summer Sky subscribers will find the entire offer of Premium Cinema and TV Series channels included in their subscriptions and at no additional cost, all in HD: it will be almost like having two Pay TV offers for the price of one", explained the CEO of Sky Italia, Andrea Zappia.
THE SKY PROGRAMS WE WILL SEE ON MEDIASET PREMIUM
Conversely, Mediaset Premium customers will be able to enjoy some of the paid content broadcast by Sky on satellite on digital terrestrial television. Indeed, starting from XNUMX June, Sky will create its own pay TV offer on digital terrestrial based on Mediaset's transmission capacity and will rent bandwidth on the multiplexes managed by Ei Towers, a Mediaset subsidiary.
So there will be a sort of mix between the Sky and Fox channels and the 9 Mediaset-branded channels, 5 of cinema and 4 of TV series. In addition there will be the possibility of adding the sports package with high definition sporting events.
IS FOOTBALL?
Football, for the moment, remains the great unknown waiting for the resolution to be resolved battle over the TV rights assigned to Mediapro. Sky seems ready to offer 650 million a year for exclusivity by product and no longer by platform. Mediaset Premium, on the other hand, has been in talks with the Spanish-Chinese giant for some time, but the offer is stuck at 200 million. Time will tell.
