Canale 48 Sardegna

Canale 48 Sardegna is a historic Italian local television broadcaster based in Calangianus, in the Gallura region of northern Sardinia. Founded in April 1977 by Mario Savigni, an electronics technician and advocate of free broadcasting, it was one of the earliest private television stations on the island and became one of the best-known and most talked-about local channels in Sardinia. Its analog signal, carried by six repeaters, covered almost the entire north of the island. The channel built its reputation on bold, home-produced programming: live sponsored quizzes and games, music-education shows, live political talk, football matches featuring Sardinian teams, and late-night adult entertainment. It helped launch or promote regional and national artists, including the singer Gianni Nazzaro, the "Duo Puggioni," the Sardinian folk singer Cabizza, the comedian Tamponeddu, and the magician Silvan. Early successes included the tele-quizzes La Girandola (1977) and Il Pronostico (1978). After selling its Monte Limbara channel 46 to Canale 5 in December 1981 and much of its network to Teleregione in October 1985, Canale 48 scaled back to cartoons, films, football replays, and relayed satellite music television. It expanded again in 1988 by acquiring Telecentro of Ghilarza, extending its reach to the province of Oristano, and returned to in-house production. In its final analog phase it was renamed Canale 49 Telecentro and was active from April 1977 to September 1993. Canale 48 returned in 2010 as a web TV and has streamed live online since 2011, presenting itself as Italy's first live web TV. Its main activity is live streaming of regional programs and football matches, with partnerships involving clubs such as Football Club Calangianus 1905, Unione Sportiva Tempio 1946, Società Sportiva Lauras 1946, Torres 1903, and TeleIschia. Since 2011 it has also broadcast the Carnival of Tempio parades for the Municipality of Tempio. In 2016 it introduced a 24-hour news system, and in 2017 it marked its 40th anniversary. The channel remains a family-run, community-focused operation led by founder-director Mario Savigni.

Canale 48 was founded in April 1977 in Calangianus by Mario Savigni, an electronics expert and enthusiast of free broadcasting, making it one of the pioneer private television stations in Sardinia. Its analog signal, distributed via six repeaters, covered almost all of northern Sardinia. The station quickly stood out for programming considered daring for the era: live sponsored quizzes and games, music-education programs, live political talk shows, football matches of Sardinian and other teams, and late-night adult content. It promoted traditional Sardinian folklore, giving early television exposure to the "Duo Puggioni," the Sardinian folk singer Cabizza, and the comedian Tamponeddu, while also hosting major figures such as the magician Silvan. Early successes came with the tele-quizzes La Girandola (1977) and Il Pronostico (1978), which featured artists including Silvan, Claudio Villa, and Gianni Nazzaro. In March 1981 the channel collaborated with Tokyo Broadcasting System on a film shot in Calangianus. On 7 December 1981 it sold channel 46 of Monte Limbara to the national broadcaster Canale 5, and in October 1985 it sold a large part of its network to Teleregione of Olbia. After these divestments, its activity was reduced to cartoons, telefilms, films, relay of the satellite music channel Music Box, and delayed broadcasts of local football matches. In 1982 it broadcast the Carnival of Tempio Pausania live with considerable resources, and on 17 September 1983 it won a five-year exclusive contract to broadcast the matches of Torres and the Chilivani hippodrome. In 1988 Canale 48 acquired the Ghilarza-based station Telecentro (founded as TeleGhilarza on 16 November 1983, whose cooperative limited liability company was dissolved by ministerial decree on 19 December 1990), extending its reception area to the province of Oristano and returning to in-house production of quizzes, shows, sports coverage, and documentaries. In its final over-the-air phase, between the late 1980s and early 1990s, with coverage reduced to Gallura alone, the station changed its name to Canale 49 Telecentro. It was active in analog from April 1977 to September 1993. With the advent of digital terrestrial television, Canale 48 returned to life as a web TV in 2010 and has broadcast live online since 2011, presenting itself as the first live web TV in Italy. Its main activity is the live streaming of regional programs and football matches, with collaborations involving Football Club Calangianus 1905, Unione Sportiva Tempio 1946, Società Sportiva Lauras 1946, Torres 1903, and TeleIschia (2025). Since 2011 it has broadcast the parades of the renowned Carnival of Tempio live for the Municipality of Tempio. In 2016 it introduced a 24-hour news system curated by its administrators, and in 2017 it addressed its 40th anniversary. The operation remains a family-run, community-oriented web TV led by founder-director Mario Savigni.

• 2017

  Marked the 40th anniversary of its founding.

• 2016

  Introduced a 24-hour news system curated by administrators.

• 2011

  Began live online broadcasting; started broadcasting Carnival of Tempio parades for the Municipality of Tempio.

• 2010

  Returned to life as a web TV.

• 1993

  Analog broadcasts ended in September; station had been renamed Canale 49 Telecentro.

• 1988

  Acquired Telecentro of Ghilarza, extending coverage to the province of Oristano.

• 1985

  October: large part of the network sold to Teleregione of Olbia.

• 1983

  September 17: won five-year exclusive rights to broadcast Torres matches and Chilivani hippodrome races.

• 1982

  Live broadcast of the Carnival of Tempio Pausania.

• 1981

  March: collaboration with Tokyo Broadcasting System for a film shot in Calangianus. December 7: channel 46 of Monte Limbara sold to Canale 5.

• 1978

  Tele-quiz Il Pronostico launched.

• 1977

  Canale 48 founded in Calangianus by Mario Savigni in April; tele-quiz La Girandola launched.

A pioneering Sardinian local broadcaster turned community-focused live web TV, emphasizing local territory, folklore, and regional sport.

• 1977

  La Girandola

• 1978

  Il Pronostico

• Live football broadcasts

• Carnival of Tempio live coverage

• 2016

  24-hour online news

1. 1Canale48 WebTVcanale48.it
2. 2Canale48 WebTV - Chi siamocanale48.it
3. 3Canale 48 (Sardegna) - Wikipediait.wikipedia.org
4. 4Canale 48 Sardegna - Wikidatawikidata.org