Mediaset is to launch its free-to-air satellite platform Tivu in June this year. Tivu, a joint venture with the public broadcaster Rai and Telecom Italia Media is aimed at driving Italian analogue switchover.
Rai and Mediaset will each hold 48% in the new company with the remaining 4% taken by Telecom Italia. While the venture is expected to use Eutelsat’s Hot Bird satellite, widely used by Italian DTH broadcasters including the Sky Italia pay platform, DTT is also a part of the proposition. Mediaset already runs the Mediaset Premium platform, a pay-as-you-go package, distributed over the terrestrial network.