Mediaset

UPDATE 2-Mediaset profit tops view; Nov ad sales flat

Reuters UK (Free subscription) | yesterday

* Shares close up 0.38 percent before results (Adds conference call comments)

Berlusconi abandons 'casting couch'

The Independent (Free subscription) | 2 hours ago

The era of fast-tracked careers for pretty faces in Prime Minister's Silvio Berlusconi's TV empire, which led to rumours of a casting couch, could be at an end. Young starlets wanting jobs on the Premier's Mediaset programmes must demonstrate appropriate professional skills and training, according to a stern memo from Berlusconi's son Piersilvio, Mediaset's vice-president.

Italy's ratings agency investigated

Variety.com (Free subscription) | yesterday

Europe: Sky Italia claims bias in favor of RAI, Mediaset -- Rupert Murdoch's Sky Italia paybox has prompted Italy's anti-trust authority to open a probe into the country's TV ratings monitor, called Auditel, by complaining that Auditel's audience share figures are rigged to favor Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset and pubcaster RAI.

Top Italy lawmaker to support Berlusconi judicial reform proposals

JURIST (Free subscription) | yesterday

... for false testimony at two trials in 1997 and 1998 involving Berlusconi's broadcasting company, Mediaset. The trials began in 2007, though Berlusconi was removed as a defendant in July 2008 after a now-overturned law granted immunity to top Italian lawmakers. In February, Mills was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for accepting a $600,000 bribe, and that conviction was upheld...

Berlusconi's allies move to shield him from trials

Sify (Free subscription) | yesterday

... one of the pending trials, Berlusconi is accused of tax fraud in a case involving his broadcaster Mediaset's purchase of TV rights. The trial was set to resume in Milan Nov. 16, but the premier's lawyers are reportedly seeking to have that hearing postponed on grounds Berlusconi is busy with a global food summit in Rome.The other trial involving corruption charges was scheduled for Nov....

• Berlusconi's allies move to shield him from trials - Boston Globe
• Berlusconi's allies move to shield him from trials - kansascity.com

News Corp. to Expand in Italian TV

Law Blog - WSJ.com (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

News Corp. is planning a new free TV channel in Italy that will bring it into direct competition with Italy's Mediaset and state broadcaster RAI

Berlusconi's allies move to shield him from trials

Boston Globe (Free subscription) | yesterday

... one of the pending trials, Berlusconi is accused of tax fraud in a case involving his broadcaster Mediaset's purchase of TV rights. The trial was set to resume in Milan Nov. 16, but the premier's lawyers are reportedly seeking to have that hearing postponed on grounds Berlusconi is busy with a global food summit in Rome.The other trial involving corruption charges was scheduled for Nov....

Berlusconi's allies move to shield him from trials

kansascity.com (Free subscription) | yesterday

... one of the pending trials, Berlusconi is accused of tax fraud in a case involving his broadcaster Mediaset's purchase of TV rights. The trial was set to resume in Milan Nov. 16, but the premier's lawyers are reportedly seeking to have that hearing postponed on grounds Berlusconi is busy with a global food summit in Rome.The other trial involving corruption charges was scheduled for Nov....

News Corp launches free channel in Italy

Reuters UK (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

MILAN, Nov 6 (Reuters) - News Corp said on Friday it will launch a free digital terrestrial television channel in Italy next month in a move that heats up competition with Italy's Mediaset and state broadcaster RAI.

Murdoch enters Italy's free TV field

Variety.com (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

International News: News Corp. launches DTT channel Cielo -- Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation Stations Europe is taking its efforts to conquer Italy's TV auds to the next level by launching a free-to-air digital terrestrial channel called Cielo that will compete directly with Mediaset and RAI.

Berlusconi plots trips 'to stall his trials'

Sify (Free subscription) | 11/08/2009

... 16 for tax evasion and false accounting over the purchase of television rights by his company Mediaset. He has already announced he will be in Rome for a United Nations summit on that date.On November 27 a second court case is expected to see Berlusconi accused of bribing David Mills, the British lawyer and estranged husband of Tessa Jowell, the Olympics minister, with 378,000 pounds to...

Telefónica will strike deal with Prisa

MaldivianDigital® :: Forum (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

... Telefónica in this trip still remains. Now the main candidate is Italian main media group Mediaset because French main media group Vivendi has been ruled out by Telefónica. But the problem with Mediaset is that Berlusconi's group does not offer a clear alternative according to the analysts and it's still to be seen whether Sogecable's free-to-air national TV channel Cuatro enters...

Berlusconi renews attacks on judiciary

Hindu (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009

... in the first case against him — over billing for the purchase of television rights for his Mediaset group in order to pay less taxes — begin on November 16. But the most awaited case, on charges of corruption and perjury involving Mr. Mills, will be heard on November 27. Mr. Mills has been convicted to a prison term of four and a half years. His appeal was rejected last Tuesday by an appeals...

Space, AAM sign digital deal

Variety.com (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009

... united effort of fashion's Benetton family and prime minister and media mogul Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset, operates 242 screens with plans for further expansion. Italy currently has 340 3-D equipped screens out of a total 3,800.