Mediaset Premium

Mediaset Premium
Type of site
Pay TV
Available inItalian
Area served Italy
Founder(s)Mediaset
EditorMediaset Premium S.p.A.
ProductsTV programs
ParentMediaset
URLwww.mediasetpremium.mediaset.it
CommercialYes
LaunchedJanuary 20, 2005; 19 years ago (2005-01-20)
Current statusClosed down June 2019

Mediaset Premium was an Italian pay TV provider owned by Mediaset. Until closure in 2019, it provided subscription TV channels and pay-per-view events (only for football matches) via the Italian digital terrestrial television network through the use of a smart card as well as video-on-demand services through its "Premium Play" and "Premium Online" streaming service.

History

Premium Cinema logo

Mediaset Premium was launched on January 20, 2005, initially offering only pay-per-view services for movies and sports.

In January 2008, it became a full pay-TV, launching the package "Premium Gallery", available, with a package for football matches, through monthly subscription or prepaid. Over time, new packages and new channels enrich the offered.

In 2015, the new offering provides channels of movies, TV series, sport, documentaries, cartoons and interactive services Premium Play and Premium Online. From 2016, Premium will also broadcast on satellite TV. In October 2016, Disney Junior and Disney Channel ceased broadcasting, only remaining available on Sky.

Broadcast until 2018 the UEFA Champions League exclusive in Italy on channels Premium Sports and Premium Calcio also in HD. It also owns the sports rights, in addition to the Serie A, of foreign tournaments as the Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France, the Scottish Premiership, also of the NFL of American football. There are also channels Eurosport and Eurosport 2.

On 1 June 2018, also Cartoon Network, Mediaset Premium's last kids' channel, ceased broadcasting, only remaining available on Sky Italia

In 2016 Vivendi agreed to buy 100% stake of Mediaset Premium and 3.5% stake of Mediaset by selling 3.5% stake of Vivendi's shares.[1] However, after inspecting the financial statements as well as income forecast, Vivendi did not wish to enforce the original terms but submitting a revised offer to buy 20% stake in Mediaset Premium, as well as buying convertible bonds of Mediaset Premium.[2] Fininvest, the majority owner of Mediaset, had chosen to start legal action to Vivendi.[3]

The service was closed down in June 2019.

Channels

The offer was divided into packages, available in prepaid or through monthly subscriptions.

Package Channel number Channel Description
Service channels 300 Premium Menu service
301 Premium Play service
Sky 311, 456 Sky Uno entertainment
312, 457 Sky Atlantic TV series
313, 458 Fox TV series
314, 459 National Geographic documentaries
468 Sky Sport Uno sports
469 Sky Sport 24 sports news
470 Sky Sport Uno HD sports (HDTV)
Series & Docs 316, 460 Premium Action TV series
317, 461 Premium Crime TV series
318, 462 Premium Joi TV series
319, 463 Premium Stories TV series
320 Investigation Discovery documentaries
Cinema 330, 464 Premium Cinema blockbuster movies
331, 465 Premium Cinema Energy action/crime movies
332, 466 Premium Cinema Emotion drama movies
333, 467 Premium Cinema Comedy comedy movies
334 Studio Universal classic/noir movies
Sports & Football 372 Eurosport sports 24h
373 Eurosport 2 sports 24h
Service channels 399 Premium Online service

Premium Play

Premium Play was a streaming service on PC, iPad, Android, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Samsung Smart TV, Windows for subscription customers in conjunction with the TV packages.

References

  1. ^ "Vivendi forms a strategic and industrial partnership with Mediaset". Vivendi. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  2. ^ "Vivendi and Mediaset: structure of the offer". Vivendi. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Fininvest claims 570 million euros damages from Vivendi" (PDF). Fininvest. 23 August 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.