Italy’s public service broadcaster RAI says it will be investing up to Euro 750 million for digital terrestrial television by 2012.
According to RAI director general Mauro Masi, RAI will invest Euro 290 million in the transmission infrastructure, while close to Euro 100 million will be invested in content.
Commercial rival Mediaset is planning to spend an additional Euro 1 billion to complete the analogue switch off in Italy, on top of the Euro 2 billion already spent on the introduction of DTT.
Both RAI and Mediaset, together with Telecom Italia Media, are launching in June the Tivu Sat DTH platform in order to guarantee reception of the Italian DTT channels in those areas where the digital terrestrial signal does not arrive. Viewers will need a special smart-card, which will be sold jointly with the digital box from June. (Report by advanced-television.com)