ROME - Journalists at RAI state television, infuriated over the sale to the private Sky Italia channel of sole Italian rights to broadcast all 64 matches at the 2006 football World Cup, will go on strike on June 4.
Italian state television's top trade union Usigrai vented their fury at the RAI management saying that "leaving the entire 2006 World Cup to a pay television channel jeopardizes one of the strongest ties between RAI and the Italian people".
In 2001 RAI secured the rights to broadcast 25 of the 2006 World Cup matches including all games involving Italy, the curtainraiser, both semi-finals and the final, but declined an offer to buy all 64 games considering it too costly.
Sky Italia, a satellite channel owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch, last week bought the exclusive rights to screen all 64 matches in Italy for a price widely reported as 140 million euros (177 million dollars).
The journalists at RAI described as unacceptable the fact that 39 of the matches would now only be broadcast to a minority of Italians, known for their love of the game.
The strike on June 4 coincides with Italy's World Cup qualifier with Norway and RAI currently has sole rights to national team matches.
Italy are on track to qualify for the World Cup finals in Germany after winning four of their five qualifying matches so far.
05/17/2005 14:38 GMT