Italy’s Communications Ministry has postponed a key decision on whether MTV Italia can retain the free-to-air terrestrial broadcasting licence that currently gives it access to millions of Italian TV homes.

The future of MTV’s highly successful Italian terrestrial operation has been put in doubt following the decision by the country’s media authority to reduce the number of national TV licences to eight from nine earlier this year. National broadcaster Rete A, which airs MTV Italia around the clock, has been fighting for channel space with network Rete Mia, which has an agreement in place to carry a new home shopping network, Hot Italia. Rete Mia/Hot Italia is better placed to hold the licence, having been deemed by the country’s telecommunications regulators to be a more suitable candidate for it than Rete A, provided that Hot Italia is found to comply with requirements that restrict access of US companies to European airwaves.

However, Rete A/MTV’s chances of retaining the licence have increased following the latest meeting of the nine members of the special commission which has been entrusted by the Communications Ministry to decide on the TV licences. In a previous ruling, the commission stipulated that Rete Mia could get its broadcasting licence on condition that it provided proof that it is majority owned by Italian or European shareholders. The Communications Authority was entrusted with verifying that these conditions were met and on October 7 decided to give the green light to Rete Mia. However, the commission was not satisfied with the Authority’s opinion, since the submitted documents do not clarify whether "actual control", as opposed to the legal one, is Italian and European. Due to this fact, during its next meeting, which is set for next week, the commission is expected to ask the Authority to conduct an additional investigation.