Silvio Berlusconi’s broadcast group Mediaset will ask satellite DTH platform Sky Italia to pay retransmission fees to carry its free-to-view channels on its receivers.
“For a period of twelve years we have been seeking a retransmission fees agreement with Sky, which is standard practice in the US and Germany,” said Mediaset executive director Gina Nieri during a press meeting. In Germany, FTA broadcasters received EUR93 million last year in retransmission fees.
Mediaset’s request is strengthened by a resolution by the country’s communications regulator AGCOM made last April at the request of RAI. As a result of this ruling, the public broadcaster is looking to receiving retransmission fees from the various distribution platforms.
