Rete Brescia Expands Globally with Satellite Station and New Programming
No, it’s not the BBC: there is Rete Brescia making its foray onto the global village, ready to broadcast worldwide under the impulses of British Telecom and the communications satellite Eutelsat Hotbird. Starting next Sunday, the signal of the Brescia-based broadcaster will become planetary, from Portugal to Thailand, from the Norwegian fjords to the sources of the Nile.
There was nothing more that could be done. The satellite is the biggest novelty among those announced yesterday by Virgilio Baresi, president of Rete Brescia, during the presentation of the station’s new programming schedule. Essentially, Baresi’s TV has split into two.
On terrestrial frequencies, via airwaves, the “old” Rete Brescia will continue to broadcast: extensive coverage of local news (from Baggio’s exploits to Brescia’s current affairs), the multilingual newscast directed by Idris Sanneh, various shows and direct communication with the citizens of Brescia.
The new satellite station and international expansion
At the same time, yesterday also saw the launch of the “sister” satellite station: it is called Rtb International. It will broadcast free-to-air in three languages throughout Europe, the Middle East, and much of Asia. The focus will be on news and culture.
“The idea is to break out of the Po Valley sphere to gain international visibility,” Baresi explained. “And to reach many Italians living abroad as well.” The station seems to have embraced the modern principle of thinking globally and acting locally.
Much of the content broadcast via satellite will be produced here in Brescia. And while Rtb International is the new gamble, innovation and creativity will also characterize the new “local” schedule of Rete Brescia starting from December.
The schedule and prominent figures
Once again, the focus is on news. Giorgio Mora is confirmed as the head of national and Brescia-specific news, leading a team of journalists with style and professionalism, including Daniela Zorat, Roberta Moneta, Eliana Bordogna, and Dafne Guerra.
There will be very Brescia-centric shows dedicated to the city of Brescia, the Municipality of Palazzolo, Franciacorta, and others. Additional broadcasts will cover justice, the world of professional services, economics, religion, and politics (from the European Parliament to the regional council, along with a segment dedicated to the activities of Brescia’s parliamentary representatives in Rome).
The Brescia audience will also warmly welcome sports programs: notably, Giorgio Mora will host “Anteprima calcio” and the show dedicated to Brescia Calcio and Serie A, titled “Azzurrissimo,” airing every Sunday at 9 PM, with regular guests Idris Sanneh and striker Gigi De Paoli.
Sports updates and other programs
This year’s novelty, already on air for eight weeks, is the sports talk show “Palla al centro,” dedicated to amateur Brescia football, from Serie D to Third Category, hosted by Giulio Tosini and Bastiano Spinoso with Sergio Cassamali.
There are also programs on rugby, water polo, hunting, lottery draws, health and wellness, multimedia topics, and everything that makes television entertaining—true to the slogan Baresi chose to launch the station: “broadcasts 24 hours a day.”
