News Corp plans to capture at least 1% of Italy’s ad market a year after launching its new digital free-to-air channel.

Cielo will launch at 11:00 on December 1 with the potential to reach 12 million viewers, enabling News Corp to extend its reach beyond its Sky Italia pay-TV audience. Gary Davey, general manager of Cielo, told local reporters that the channel would target a younger, more upmarket audience than Mediaset and Rai. He said the channel could attract at least 1% of Italy’s estimated €4bn ad market.