Mediasets

Mediaset S.p.A., commonly known simply as Mediaset, is an Italian multimedia group based in Cologno Monzese, near Milan. It develops, produces, and distributes television, film, and digital content through its networks and platforms, and is a core asset of Fininvest, the holding company controlled by the Berlusconi family.

Founded in 1977 as Telediffusion Italiana (DIT) by Silvio Berlusconi, the company expanded from regional programming into national free-to-air broadcasting in the late 1980s and adopted the Mediaset name in 1990. It created a broad Italian television portfolio, including Canale 5, Italia 1, and Rete 4, and built an extensive advertising sales arm, Publitalia '80, which became a major source of revenue.

In Spain, Mediaset operates through Mediaset España Comunicación, which owns Telecinco, Cuatro, and other channels. The group has also developed online and on-demand services, notably the streaming platform Mediaset Infinity (formerly Premium). Production and distribution activities are carried out by in-house units and external partners.

Strategically, Mediaset has pursued cross-border coordination and digital diversification, culminating in a Europe-wide group structure, MediaFor Europe (MFE), to align operations and content across markets. The company remains majority-owned by Fininvest, with governance reflecting the Berlusconi family’s longstanding leadership.