MTV8

MTV8
Launched 1 September 1997
Network Nuova Società Televisiva Italiana S.r.l.
Owned by Sky Italia Sky plc (under licence from Viacom International Media Networks)
Picture format 576i (16:9 SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
Audience share 0.73% (May 2014, [1])
Country Italy
Formerly called Rete A/MTV (1997–2001)
MTV/TMC2 (2001)
MTV (2001-2015)
Website www.tv8.it
Availability
Terrestrial
Analogue PAL, Previously available on channel 8 or 9
Digital DVB-T, LCN 8, Where available
Satellite
Sky Italia Channel 121
Eutelsat 12 West A 12545H 17455 3/4
12718H 36510 5/6 (HD)
Cable
Alice Home TV Channel 008

MTV8 (formerly MTV) is the Italian-speaking version of the popular 24-hour music and youth entertainment channel. MTV was available free-to-air across Italy unlike its sister channels elsewhere in Europe. The channel launched free-to-air on September 1, 1997 and moved to digital terrestrial on September 14, 2009. On September 16, 2015 the Italian MTV was rebranded as MTV8.;[2] the newly launched MTV Next (from Viacom) is only available on Sky Italia as part of a subscription package.[3] The Viacom-owned channel MTV Music (Italia) remains available free to air on digital terrestrial.

History

Prior to the launch of a 24-hour Italian speaking MTV, MTV viewers in Italy received the pan-European version of MTV. Regionalization of MTV in Europe began in March 1997 with the launch of a German-speaking MTV, followed by a UK branded channel in July of the same year. The Italian channel officially launched in London on 1 September 1997, the day when its transmissions entered into the TV programmings of Rete A.

On 1 May 2001, after having been acquired by Telecom Italia Media, MTV Italy moved to the frequencies of the late TMC2 (formerly known as Videomusic) thus becoming a standalone channel and getting more and more like every other "big" network in Italy, showing news, movie trailers and other things which would never have fit into the former schedules of the channel. The handover and the whole changing process was advertised with the name of "MTV Regeneration". In early 2002 the channel's operations moved from London to Milan.

On 5 July 2013, Telecom Italia Media announced it would be selling its 51% stake in MTV Italy to Viacom for €13.4 million.[4] Telecom Italia Media committed to waiving its financial receivables of €9.7 million as part of the deal.[5] The sale was completed on 12 September 2013.[6] On 1 August 2015, Sky Italia bought MTV Italia. Viacom International Media Networks remains the owner of MTV Music (Italia) which is being broadcast also free to air in Italy. Viacom also launcched a new channel on Sky Italia, called MTV Next. Viacom remains the owner of Comedy Central Italia, Nickelodeon Italia and Nick Jr. Italia.

On July 31, 2015 Sky Italia took over ownership of the free-to-air MTV.[2] On September 16, 2015, MTV Italy was rebranded as MTV8 by Sky Italia. On January 8, 2016, Sky introduced a new on air graphic for MTV 8 focussing on the number 8 and started on www.tv8.it its website. It is expected that the channel will be rebranded TV8 or Canale 8 later in 2016. Viacom launched on August 1, 2015, a new MTV-channel for Italy, MTV Next and is now only available as a subscription service on Sky. This ended an era whereby MTV Italy was available to the majority of homes across Italy free-to-air.[7] The Music-station of Viacom in Italy, MTV Music (Italia) remains available free to air on digital terrestrial. MTV Music (Italia) on Sky Italia is only available in a pluspackage.

Programming

In recent years similar to MTV's other international channels, MTV in Italy has placed less emphasis on localized programming and more on imports from MTV US, MTV UK and programming from various channels in the US. MTV in Italy continues to promote special events in Italy such as MTV Awards (a localized Italian awards show), MTV Day (now known as MTV Digital Days).

Previous shows

Several shows are made up locally, featuring Italian music and artists. Some of the most popular shows on the channel are the Italian version of Total Request Live, LoveLine, Brand New, other are original ones like Very Victoria, Italo-Francese, Avere Ventanni and Hitlist Italia.

MTV also shows a variety of reality shows (mainly imported from MTV US) and TV series such as Scrubs, Less Than Perfect and The Office. Since 1999, the channel has shown several Japanese anime on a regular basis.

However, the best music videos and programs are mainly shown through the night, as in the old MTV Europe days. Several classic shows are still on after many years: Chill Out Zone, Party Zone, Superock, Yo! among others.

Main Italian hosts for MTV Italy are Victoria Cabello, Alessandro Cattelan, Carlo Pastore, and Elena Santarelli. Some of the former hosts of the channel are Andrea Pezzi, Camila Raznovich and Enrico Silvestrin (who are both also former MTV Europe vjs), Kris Grove, Kris Reichert, Giorgia Surina, Marco Maccarini, Paola Maugeri, and Daniele Bossari.

Ex sister channels

Viacom had 6 sister channels: MTV Hits, MTV Music, MTV Classic, MTV Rocks, MTV Dance and MTV Live HD. Currently only MTV Music continues existing; MTV Rocks and MTV Hits are being relayed from the international feeds.

In the summer of 2003 MTV Italy launched two satellite channels: MTV Hits, mainly dedicated to showing chart hits and classic clips from the MTV archives and MTV Brand New, devoted to showing all the best cutting-edge, indie, electronic, metal, experimental music out there. In 2006, a fourth channel was launched: Flux, creating a whole new concept of television consisting of showing eclectic / alternative music videos 24/7 along with some artistic footages sent in by the viewers through the channel's website and other bits taken from the MTV2 US programming.

On 30 November the Italian version of Flux, was rebranded into QOOB and on April an international website was launched. QOOB showed no commercials and was distributed through DVB-T in Italy.

In 2007 MTV Italy launched MTV Gold (hosting music from the 70s 80s and 90s), MTV Pulse (for commercial music) and VH1 (a local version broadcast from London).

MTV+ was launched in Italy in May 2010 which broadcast a selection of music and content largely from MTV US. It was replaced on 1 March 2011 as MTV Music, showing only music programming. The channel is exclusive to the digital terrestrial television network available in the majority of Italian homes, and continues as a Viacom-channel to exist also after MTV8 was sold.

On 10 January 2011 MTV Networks Italia replaced MTV Pulse and MTV Brand New with the pan-European versions of MTV Dance and MTV Rocks. MTV Gold was also rebranded as MTV Classic. MTV Classic (Italy) ceased broadcasting on August 1, 2015. MTV Music continues existing on digital terrestrial free to air.

References

  1. ↑ "Sintesi Mensile 1A" (PDF). Auditel. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/31/viacom-sky-mtvitalia-idUSI6N10900A20150731
  3. ↑ http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2015/08/03/sky-italia-buys-fta-channel-mtv-from-viacom/
  4. ↑ Dziadul, Chris (2013-07-05). "Viacom buys MTV Italia". Broadband TV News. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  5. ↑ "Perfezionata la cessione di MTV Italia a Viacom International Media Networks". Digital-Sat Magazine. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  6. ↑ "Sale of MTV Italia to Viacom completed". Telecom Italia. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4lC2UpGWjw

External links

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