Pier Silvio Berlusconi: “The World Cup? Happy they went to Rai …”

Pier Silvio Berlusconi, CEO of Mediaset, met with journalists to make a point on the very positive ratings of the autumn and on the future. He also focused on the World Cup in Qatar, which we will see on Rai from November 20. Four years ago, again without the Azzurri, it was broadcast by Mediaset.

What do you think of the World Cup in this period, which will somehow move the television audience?

“For us it will be a tough period because the World Cup will have its own relevance, even without Italy it will have its following, among other things in a more heated listening period. I do not deny that we too had made an offer, throwing away the heart over the obstacle, but the amount that Rai offered was really exaggerated, so in a somewhat selfish way I must say that in the end we are happy that Rai took it, Rai better than any other competitor. , let’s face it, as a citizen I ask myself a question: what sense does it make for the public service to spend 200 million euros in rights, among all, taxes, etc., plus production costs? Some may think that the World Cup matches would not have been visible, in some way, most of it for free? With the difference that the money would have been spent by private companies and not by a public company that lives thanks to the contribution of us Italians. always like this in Rai, but fo rse arguments should be made. Is broadcasting the national football team a public service? Yes. But is there a possibility that the national team matches will not go on the air? No. You can save money or do something else with that money. ”

The future of football on TV?

“Already today the balance between costs and revenues is very difficult to achieve, I fear that in the future, due to competition from the various OCTs, it risks becoming an overpriced product for generalist television. I’m not complaining about the OCTs, but this is the market. I do not give advice to anyone, the Government is in a complicated situation and already has its problems, but national publishing should be held in the highest regard, it should work on a par with the monsters of the web, big tech, Ott , which employ very little and in Europe have a much more advantageous level of taxes than Italian companies “.

A review of the Champions League and the Italian Cup on Mediaset networks.

“Honestly we are satisfied, they work great. We are commercial TV, we are publishers but our job is to sell advertising and football touches a really important target”.

Are you more supportive of AC Milan or Monza today?

“I’m with Monza out of paternal affection”.

Satisfaction also for the autumn, “extraordinary” ratings, for the fiction, self-produced programs and for the good health of generalist TV, more resilient than pay (“we all tend to complain, but Italian TV is the richest in the world” ). Firmness on the case of the “Hyenas”, after Roberto Zaccaria’s suicide following the story told by Italia 1: “A fact that touched me a lot and that must no longer happen. The TV takes care of everything, including news, can happen, but you have to raise the level of attention and sensitivity. I’m not saying you can’t do this TV, but how it is done is important “. And a wish: “If Checco Zalone wanted to return to Mediaset for a great event we would be happy, he was born here”.