Byoblu

Byoblu
CountryItaly
Broadcast areaItalian territory
Programming
Language(s)Italian
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerClaudio Messora
History
LaunchedApril 25, 2021; 5 years ago (2021-04-25)
FounderClaudio Messora
Links
Websitewww.byoblu.com
Availability
Terrestrial
DigitalChannel 262
TivùSatChannel 462
Streaming media
LIVE StreamLive TV Stream

Byoblu is an Italian blog and former television station based in Milan. Until May 2026, it broadcast on channel 262 of digital terrestrial television, and also via livestreaming on its official website.

Byoblu has also operated as a publishing house and a radio station, and since 2024 has been organized as a joint stock company (Media Pluralisti Europei S.p.A.), relying financially on donations from citizens and on a base of around 3,200 small shareholders.

History

Founding and growth

Founded in 2007 as a website and YouTube channel by Claudio Messora, who was a former member of the Five Star Movement party, Byoblu transformed in 2019 into a company, and in 2020 into a regional television station, which became national in April 2021 after a fundraising campaign by free citizens.

Since then, Byoblu has continued to be supported by donations from voluntary contributors.

Financial crisis and closure of the TV channel

In early 2026, Byoblu faced a financial crisis.

On 25 April 2026, an event was broadcast to mark five years of the channel's operation, during which Messora spoke of the project's continuity. Three days later, on 28 April, the board of Media Pluralisti Europei S.p.A. unanimously called a shareholders' meeting to assess necessary measures, including a possible closure.

The channel announced it had raised only 38% of the funds needed for April and 4% of those needed for May, and on 5 May 2026 it announced the end of its digital terrestrial broadcasts, which ceased that day when the transmission signal was cut.

Literature

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ByoBlu: canale 262 del digitale terrestre" (in Italian). TvDream.
  2. ↑ "Byoblu Edizioni Srls" (in Italian). Fatturato Italia. Archived from the original on 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  3. ↑ Igor Giussani (15 January 2024). "Byoblu e il fragile business della controinformazione" (in Italian). Apocalottimismo.
  4. ↑ "Diffuso azionariato popolare" (in Italian). Byoblu.
  5. ↑ "Chiude tra polemiche Byoblu la "Tv dei cittadini"" (in Italian). Senza Bavaglio. 14 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "Claudio Messora" (PDF) (in Italian). Italian Ministry of the Interior.
  7. ↑ F.Q. (30 March 2021). "ByoBlu: YouTube closes Claudio Messora's account. «Now let's buy a channel on digital terrestrial»" (in Italian). Il Fatto Quotidiano.
  8. ↑ «We believe that information is a service, we believe that we must remain independent, we believe that this means freedom», "Official website" (in Italian). Byoblu.
  9. ↑ "Byoblu nel caos tra perdite a bilancio e dipendenti senza stipendio" (in Italian). Il Fatto Quotidiano.
  10. ↑ "Chiude tra polemiche Byoblu la "Tv dei cittadini"" (in Italian). Senza Bavaglio. 14 June 2026.
  11. ↑ Jacopo Brogi (8 May 2026). "Byoblu, chiude la Tv dei cittadini e dà la colpa al popolo bue. La redazione si ribella, Messora si dimette" (in Italian). Come Don Chisciotte.
  12. ↑ "Bye bye ByoBlu" (in Italian). DiarioTV Calabria.

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