Italian Stars Flock to Albania-Based TV Station

The new channel, which will was launched on Monday and airs in Italy through the Digital Terrestrial Platform, will feature Sabrina Ferilli, the 50-year-old actress and TV personality, better known for her role in the Oscar-winning drama 'The Great Beauty'.

The TV station had its gala premiere on Friday in Milan, with a show directed by showgirl Simona Ventura, and a special appearance by Nicole Kidman.

The station is the brainchild of Italian businessman Francesco Bechetti, who is also the owner of Agon TV in Albania.

According to Bloomberg, Bechetti has invested nearly 40 million euro in the project, and will produce programmes in Tirana that will be beamed into Italy.

"If you want to do TV nowadays, the project needs to be viable," Bechetti said at a press conference in Milan last week.

"Even if you pay your Albanian labour force twice the average salary, that still allows you to attract important stars and secure an Italian TV audience," he added.

The station's programming will include a quiz show hosted by the Italian pop artists Pupo, also known for quiz shows on Italy's public broadcaster Rai.

Agon Channel Italia will also broadcast a reality show based on Leyton Orient, the English football team, which is also owned by Bechetti.

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