Mediaset launches new offering as ViacomCBS pulls DTT channels

Italian broadcaster Mediaset – now known as MediaForEurope – has launched a new free-to-air movies and series channel, Twenty Seven.

The channel, which is now on air, is dedicated to films and international TV series, including US blockbusters aimed at a family audience.

Mediaset acquired the channel slot – channel 27 on the digital-terrestrial network – from ViacomCBS, which has changed its strategy in Italy by removing its Paramount Network and Spike channels from the country’s digital-terrestrial platform to focus on OTT distribution via soon-to-launch subscription service Paramount+ and its Pluto TV free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) offering.

ViacocmCBS’s Italian kids channel Super! remains on the DTT platform, as does music channel VH1. In addition to its streaming efforts, the US company also distributes pay TV channels MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central on Sky’s platform.

The US programmer’s partial exit from over-the-air broadcasting in Italy has led to a reorganisation of channel slots on the platform, largely to the benefit of Mediaset, which has also acquired channel 49, formerly occupied by Spike, now the home of Italia 2, moving up from channel 66, and channel 67, formerly occupied by VH1, now the home of radio channel spin-off R101TV, formerly at channel 167. The latter slot has been transferred to ViacomCBS and is now the home of VH1.

The overall number of channels occupied by Mediaset remains the same, with its R105TV channel moving to the slot formerly occupied by Italia 2 and both its former frequency and that occupied by VirginRadio TV being returned to the country’s ministry of economic development. VirginRadioTV itself will now air only on Sky and on the TivùSat free-to-view satellite platform.