Rai confirms end of Sky Italia deal

Italian state broadcaster Rai has confirmed its contract with News Corp to air five RaiSat channels on Sky Italia’s platform will not be renewed after it expires today.

Sky Italia is believed to have offered €425m to Rai for its digital channels, including Rai Extra and Rai Cinema, for seven years but Rai rejected the deal. Rai’s free-to-air channels Rai1, Rai2 and Rai3 will continue to be broadcast on Sky’s platform, but certain programming, including international football matches and TV series that Rai doesn’t own the rights to outside Italy, may be blacked out.

Sky Italia had already confirmed plans to launch with 10 new channels.