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Italy's antitrust opens probe into Auditel after Sky complaint

Mon Nov 9, 2009 1:59pm EST

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MILAN, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Italy's antitrust authority has opened a market abuse probe into Auditel, which measures TV audience market share, after a complaint by satellite operator Sky Italia, a unit of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp (NWSA.O).

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The probe will investigate whether Auditel used obstructive or delaying tactics with regard to Sky's proposals "to improve the representativity of the data obtained", the antitrust authority said on Monday.

"These are data that have a crucial role in the strategic and commercial choices of companies working in the advertising market" in TV and pay TV, it said.

According to Sky, Auditel's behaviour was biased towards state TV RAI and Mediaset (MS.MI) which is owned by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

On Friday, News Corp said it would launch a free digital terrestrial television channel in Italy next month in a move that heats up competition with Mediaset and RAI. [ID:nN06205925] (Reporting by Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Dan Lalor)

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