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Canal+ is reporting consolidated revenues of Eur927 million for the first quarter of 2000, representing a gain of 23.6 per cent from the same period in 1999. For the first time the consolidated revenues include the Italian subsidiary Tele+, now 99 per cent owned by Canal+, and consolidated as of December 31, 1999. The figures do not include subsidiaries in Spain, Poland and French-speaking Belgium. Canal+ Technologies, was spun off into a separate subsidiary in December 1999, its revenues from the licensing of MediaHighway interactive software are included with the parent company. MediaGuard conditional access falls under Seca, revenues to which were consolidated in the first quarter.

A Polish court has found that public broadcaster TVP cannot after all take a stake in the Cyfra+ digital satellite platform. The court was ruling on a complaint from TVP management following an intervention from finance minister Emil Wasacz. TVP was to have taken a total of 40 per cent of Canal+ Cyfrowy, the operating company of Cyfra+. The first 10 per cent was to have been given to TVP at no cost. This would have been followed by a further 30 per cent on favourable terms. Following the completion of deal Cyfra+ and TVP were to have jointly created a collection of thematic channels covering the arts and information. TVP now intents to lodge an appeal. The decision means that Polsat will be able to continue the satellite distribution of TVP1 and TVP2 and WOT despite objections from TVP.

Research conducted by Niche during the month of February has shown that there are an estimated 2,200,000 DTH households in Italy. However the same research has highlighted the low percentage of SMATV systems. In many cases it is verydifficult to obtain the necessary consent from the local residents association, so many Italians are forced to install a DTH system. Italian pubcaster RAI is planning to increase the promotion of satellite TV reception throughout Italy and has taken the first step in that direction, by organising a series of regional conferences, in collaboration with the National association of apartment house managers (ANACI), business daily Il Sole 24 Ore and the installation school Eurosatellite.

Italian business channel Class Financial Network (CFN) which is distributed via Stream’s digital platform is to get a new shareholder. The new partner is expected be the Italian merchant bank 21 Investimenti (in which Fininvest recently bought a 10 per cent stake) headed by Alessandro Benetton. It is worth noting that Fininvest’s TV subsidiary Mediaset is already the second largest shareholder in CFN. The channel, inspired on the global business service CNBC, has been transmitting since April 1 on Stream and produces 18-19 hours of programming daily.

Despite having put back the launch of its own channel until 2005 German licensing company Kinowelt has already reserved satellite capacity. According to chairman Michael Kolmel, Kinowelt has “a guaranteed digital Astra transponder” for distributing the channel. He pointed out that first negotiations have been with media authorities and cable operators about cable carriage. Kolmel calculates with a start-up loss of around DM20 million for a digital TV channel while an analogue channel would cost between DM80 and 100 million.

Leading Italian publisher RCS is to launch a new multimedia unit on June 1, to be led by Pietro Calabrese. The new multimedia unit will be responsible for “developing the company’s presence in the digital TV and radio sectors” and will also co-ordinate RCS’s Internet activities. RCS has also created a specialunit, RCS Web, responsible for on- line initiatives, which has bought a 5 per cent stake in RaiSat, RAI’s subsidiary for digital TV and thematic satellite channels.

Malta-based pan-European travel channel WWW Travel and German media service provider Satelli-LINE Infodienste are to launch a German-language travel radio station. The advertising-financed is scheduled to commence transmission on July 1 providing holidaymakers news, information and music. WWW Travel Radio will transmit free-to-air on Hot Bird 5 (13 degrees East), l.with non-stop music.transponder 91 along with WWW Travel’s multilingual TV channel.

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