The pandemic has accelerated the revolution in the world of TV, bringing a real surge in streaming. In Italy alone, in 2020 subscriptions to services of this type (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, NowTv, AppleTv and more) increased by 42,5%, reaching 8,3% of aggregate revenues of the sector (+2,9% compared to 2019). The data is contained in a survey by the Mediobanca research area on the Media & Entertainment sector.
The analysis also shows that, again in 2020, in our country overall revenues from the broadcasting sector continued to decline: -6,6% year-on-year, to 8,1 billion. The decline involves all sectors: -22,7% radio (0,5 billion), -7,2% free-to-air TV (4,4 billion) and -2,3% pay TV (3,2 billion). In the latter sector, however, two opposing dynamics are recorded: on the one hand, traditional pay TV is losing ground (-8,5%); on the other, streaming thrives.
In 2020 Italian operators revenues -8,8%, Netflix +70%
This trend explains the bucking results of the king of streaming, Netflix, which in 2020 saw its turnover in our country grow to 300 million (+70% on 2019 and +160% on 2018), given that it should rise to 450 million in 2021. Netflix at the end of 2020 could already count on over 4 million of subscribers in Italy: almost triple compared to 2018.
In the same period, the top eight Italian television operators suffered a contraction in revenues of 8,8% on 2019, to 8,1 billion. More contained decrease, however, for traditional pay TV (-2%).
The ranking between Sky, Rai and Mediaset
The Italian market remains concentrated, with the three main television operators (Sky, Rai and Mediaset) holding more than 80% of the national television sector.
In terms of revenues, Sky is in first position (2,8 billion), followed by Rai (2,5 billion) and from Mediaset (1,8 billion). All traditional operators are going through a phase of contraction, which is more contained for La7 (-2,5% on 2019) and for Rai (-5,4%).
Rai license fee lower than the European average, but watch out for tax evasion
The Mediobanca survey also shows that the Rai license fee is lower than the average of those of European public televisions: 0,25 against 0,34 euros per day per subscriber. German public television (0,58 euros per day), the British (0,48 euros) and the French (0,38 euros) are much more expensive for taxpayers.
Also, according to experts it is possible that Rai fee evasion will resume from 2023, if the abolition of the current bill collection method is confirmed, as envisaged by the commitments signed by Italy to access the funds of the Pnrr.
With 8,5 billion, the German public radio and television service has the highest turnover in Europe, three times that of Italy (2,5 billion). Great Britain (6,7 billion) and France (3,6 billion) complete the podium.
Televisions: 64% do not pass the test of transition to the new digital TV
Finally, according to Mediobanca, 64% of the televisions in Italian homes (which in all were 43,1 million in 2021) do not pass the test of the transition to second generation digital terrestrial, as they do not support the DVB-T2 standard with the new HEVC Main10 encoding system. 12,8% of the devices did not even meet the requirements for the first transition, which began on 20 October with the transition to high definition HD.
