In a move to protect the current 41% audience share, the Italian public broadcaster RAI has laid out its digital plans in a report entitled Piano offerta tv 2010-2012 which calls for three new channels.
The first of the three new channels, Rai5/Movie, will broadcast films and TV series produced by Rai, as well as acquired material. Rai6/Extra will concentrate on documentaries, news, culture, magazine programmes, as well as entertainment. Finally, RaiSport2 will complement RaiSport. With the three additions, the total number of digital channels will raise to 13.
The current experimental RAI HD channel will become permanent with “a selection of programmes, sporting events, movies, dramas and documentaries.”
The plan also calls for a strengthening of the main three channels (RAI Uno, RAI Due and RAI Tre), as well as RAI 4 and RAI Storia (History).
All channels are to be distributed on the national digital terrestrial network, as well as on the free-to-view TiVuSat DTH platform.
