Studio Universal dropped from Sky Italia

[SAT-WORLD]

Studio Universal will end its transmissions on Sky Italia on May 31.

The movie channel, produced in Italy by NBC Universal since 1998, has not obtained the renewal of its distribution agreement from Sky Italia.

Studio Universal programming is based on library and second window pay-TV rights of movies and films of Universal Pictures and other Hollywood majors. According to some, Sky Italia decided not to renew the contract to Studio Universal after NBC Universal Pictures Italia signed another distribution deal for another movie channel with Mediaset. The channel, called Steel, is distributed on digital-terrestrial platform Mediaset Premium Gallery’s mini-pay bouquet (together with two other channels Joy and Mya).

NBC Universal has opened a forum on the Studio Universal website to gather all the opinions of its supporters on the issue. Sky Italia has not released any comment to date. NBC Universal is a long time ally of Sky Italia’s parent company News Corporation. Together the two companies launched the online video portal Hulu.com in late 2007.

Source:Rapid Tv News