MTV Italy
| MTV Italy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Launched | September 1, 1997 |
| Owned by | Viacom International Media Networks Italia |
| 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 Next (2015-2016) |
| Sister channel(s) |
Paramount Channel Italy MTV Music Comedy Central Nickelodeon Nick Jr. VH1 |
| Website | www.mtv.it |
Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Sky Italia | Channel 133 |
MTV Italy is the Italian-speaking version of the popular 24-hour music and youth entertainment channel.
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.[2] Telecom Italia Media committed to waiving its financial receivables of €9.7 million as part of the deal.[3] The sale was completed on 12 September 2013.[4]
Closure and Reopening
On 13 June 2015, Italian newspaper La Repubblica anticipates the purchase of LCN 8[5] occupied by MTV.
On July 31, 2015 Sky Italia took over ownership of the free-to-air MTV.[6] On September 16, 2015, MTV Italy was rebranded as MTV8 by Sky Italia, then later to TV8. Almost all of Viacom productions was continued within MTV Next (now just MTV), launched on August 1, 2015.
Programming
MTV now only airs dubbed versions of their shows or original programs.
Previous Programming
Several shows were made up locally, featuring Italian music and artists. Some of the most popular shows on the channel were 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 Italy also showed 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 with the block Anime Night
Main Italian hosts for MTV Italy were 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.
Sister channels
MTV Italy has 6 sister channels: MTV Hits, MTV Music, MTV Classic, MTV Rocks, MTV Dance and MTV Live HD.
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.
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.
References
- ↑ "Sintesi Mensile 1A" (PDF). Auditel. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ↑ Dziadul, Chris (2013-07-05). "Viacom buys MTV Italia". Broadband TV News. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
- ↑ "Perfezionata la cessione di MTV Italia a Viacom International Media Networks". Digital-Sat Magazine. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
- ↑ "Sale of MTV Italia to Viacom completed". Telecom Italia. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
- ↑ http://www.calcioefinanza.it/2015/06/13/sky-mtv-tasto-8-del-telecomando
- ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/31/viacom-sky-mtvitalia-idUSI6N10900A20150731