RAI
.svg) |
|
| Spa (State Owned) | |
| Industry | Media |
| Genre | TV Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1924 (as URI), 1944 (as RAI), 1954 (as RAI Spa) |
| Founder | Government of Italy |
| Headquarters | Rome, Italy |
|
Area served
|
Italy |
|
Key people
|
Antonio Campo Dall'Orto (CEO), Monica Maggioni (Chairman) |
| Revenue |  €2.4 billion (2014)[1] |
| €257 million (2014)[1] |
|
| €48 million (2014)[1] |
|
| Owner | Ministry of Economy and Finance |
|
Number of employees
|
11635 (2014)[1] |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Website | Rai.it RaiPlay.it |
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. (pronounced [ˈrai ˌradjoteleviˈzjoːne itaˈljaːna];[2] commercially styled Rai; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane)[3] is Italy's national public broadcasting company, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
RAI operates many DVB and Sat television channels and radio stations, broadcasting via digital terrestrial transmission (15 television and 7 radio channels nationwide) and from several satellite platforms. It is the biggest television broadcaster in Italy[citation needed] and competes with Mediaset, Sky Italia, and other minor television and radio networks. RAI has a relatively high television audience share of 33.8%.[4][better source needed]
RAI's broadcasts are also received in neighboring countries, including Albania, Croatia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Slovenia, Vatican City, Switzerland, and Tunisia, and elsewhere on cable and satellite.
Half of RAI's revenues come from broadcast receiving licence fees, the rest from the sale of advertising time.[5][6]
In 1950, RAI became one of the 23 founding broadcasting organizations of the European Broadcasting Union.
Contents
History[edit]
1924[edit]
The Unione Radiofonica Italiana (URI) was formed in 1924 with the backing of the Marconi Company following a model adopted in other European countries. URI made its inaugural broadcast — a speech by Benito Mussolini at Teatro Costanzi — on 5 October. Regular programming began the following evening, with a quartet performing Haydn's Quartet No. 7 in A major from the Palazzo Corradi. At 21.00 CET, Ines Donarelli Viviani announced for the first time: "URI—Unione Radiofonica Italiana Rome station 1RO 425 meters wavelength. To all those who are listening our greetings, good evening."[7] Guglielmo Marconi's S.A. Radiofono—Società Italiana per le Radiocomunicazioni Circolari (Radiofono) held 85% of URI shares and Western Electric's Società Italiana Radio Audizioni Circolari (SIRAC) held the remaining 15%.
Under the provisions of Royal Decree No. 1067 of 8 February 1923, wireless broadcasting became a state monopoly under the control of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs; URI was commissioned to provide services for a minimum of six years pursuant to Royal Decree No. 2191 of 14 October 1924 "Concessione dei servizi radioauditivi circolari alla Società Anonima Unione Radiofonica Italiana".[8] However, when URI's contract expired in 1927, it was succeeded under Royal Decree Law No. 2207 of 17 November 1927 by the partially nationalised Ente Italiano per le Audizioni Radiofoniche (EIAR), which became Radio Audizioni Italiane S.p.A. (RAI) with investment from Società Idroelettrica Piemontese (SIP) in 1944.
1940's[edit]
During the reconstruction following World War II, much of RAI's early programming was influenced by the "Reithian" style of the BBC. The emphasis was on educational content. Programs like Non è mai troppo tardi and Un viaggio al Po introduced people to what life was like in other parts of the country, at a time when most people couldn't afford to travel.
Over the following years RAI made various changes to its services. Rai reorganized its radio stations in November 1946 into two national networks, Rete Rossa and Rete Azzurra ("Red Network" and "Blue Network"). Rai added the culture-based Terzo Programma in October 1950. On 1 January 1952 the Rete Rossa became the Programma Nazionale (focusing on informational content) and the Rete Azzurra became the Secondo Programma (with a greater emphasis on entertainment). The three radio channels eventually became today's Rai Radio 1, Rai Radio 2, and Rai Radio 3.
1950's[edit]
In 1954 the state-owned holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI) became the sole shareholder and RAI – now renamed RAI—Radiotelevisione italiana to reflect its extended responsibilities – finally began a regular television service. On 3 January at 11.00 CET, the first RAI television announcer presented the day's schedule, which was broadcast from the service's Milan headquarters and relay stations in Turin and Rome. At 14.30, the first regular programme in Italian television history was broadcast: Arrivi e partenze, hosted by Armando Pizzo and Mike Bongiorno. The evening's entertainment was a theatre performance, L'osteria della posta, written by Carlo Goldoni. 23.15 saw the start of the day's concluding programme, La Domenica Sportiva – the first edition of a weekly series which continues to this day.[9]
2000's[edit]
Management[edit]
RAI was originally the subsidiary of RAI Holding S.p.A. RAI Holding was absorbed into RAI as of 1 December 2004, per Article 21 of Law 112/04.
RAI is governed by a nine-member Administrative Council. Seven of members are elected by a committee of the Italian Parliament. The other two (one of which is the President) are nominated by the largest shareholder: the Ministry of Economic Development. The Council appoints the Director-General. The Director-General and the members of the Administrative Council are appointed for a renewable three-year term. In 2005, the government of Silvio Berlusconi proposed partial privatization of RAI by selling 20% ownership. This proposal was very controversial, in part because Berlusconi was the head of the leading private broadcaster Mediaset. Some critics claimed that Mediaset could become the buyer and thus increase its dominant position. However, after the revelation that RAI would lose €80m ($96m, £54m) in 2006, the privatization plan was suspended in October 2005.[10][11]
2010's[edit]
On 17 May 2010, Raisat received a major upgrade and re-branded with a new logo and a new name. It and all of the sister channels dropped the sat part from the name and became Rai YoYo, Rai 5 (formerly known as Rai Extra), Rai Premium, and Rai Movie (formerly known as Raisat Cinema).
On June 11, 2013, RAI was one of the few known European broadcasters to condemn and criticize the closure of Greece's state broadcaster ERT.
Criticism[edit]
RAI company has been criticized because as of 2015 it had 46 directors and 262 head offices and they are considered too many; RAI Spa is a private company but it's 100% owned by the Italian Government and subscribers have to pay an annual tax of 100 euros.[citation needed]
RAI Spa company is 99% owned by the Italian Government Ministry of Economy and Finance, so it is said that it broadcasts content that may politically influence people.[12][13]
Debt Level[edit]
As March 2015, Rai has a debt of 442 million euros and the Italian "Corte dei Conti" (an Italian public finance examination institution).[14]
Rai mandatory annual fee on all televisions in Italy[edit]
Italians must purchase an annual television license for about €100 every year in order to legally own a TV or HDTV. It is known as Canone Rai, "Rai Tax" because it is used to part-fund RAI.[citation needed]
TV channels[edit]
Current channels[edit]
| Logo | Channel | LCN on DVB-T | Broadcast | Launched | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Rai 1 | 001 | National DTV Satellite |
January 3, 1954 | generalist |
 |
Rai 2 | 002 | National DTV Satellite |
November 4, 1961 | generalist |
 |
Rai 3 | 003 | National DTV Satellite |
December 15, 1979 | generalist |
 |
Rai 4 | 021 | National DTV Satellite |
July 14, 2008 | TV series, movies and shows |
 |
Rai 5 | 023 | National DTV Satellite |
November 26, 2010 | culture, music, documentaries |
 |
Rai Gulp | 042 | National DTV Satellite |
June 1, 2007 | kids/teens |
 |
Rai Movie | 024 | National DTV Satellite |
July 1, 1999 | movies |
 |
Rai News24 | 048 | National DTV Satellite |
April 26, 1999 | all news |
 |
Rai Premium | 025 | National DTV Satellite |
July 31, 2003 | fiction |
 |
Rai Scuola | 146 | National DTV Satellite |
October 19, 2009 | educational |
| Rai Sport 1 | 057 | National DTV Satellite |
February 1, 1999 | sports | |
| Rai Sport 2 | 058 | National DTV Satellite |
May 18, 2010 | sports | |
 |
Rai Storia | 054 | National DTV Satellite |
February 2, 2009 | history channel |
 |
Rai YoYo | 043 | National DTV Satellite |
November 1, 2006 | kids |
 |
Rai 1 HD | 501 | National DTV Satellite |
October 25, 2013 | HD version of Rai 1 |
 |
Rai 2 HD | 502 | National DTV Satellite |
October 25, 2013 | HD version of Rai 2 |
 |
Rai 3 HD | 503 | National DTV Satellite |
October 25, 2013 | HD version of Rai 3 |
 |
Rai 4 HD | 521 | National DTV Satellite |
January 22, 2016 | HD version of Rai 4 |
| Rai 5 HD | 113 | Tivùsat | September 19, 2016 | HD version of Rai 5 | |
| Rai Movie HD | 114 | Tivùsat | May 26, 2016 | HD version of Rai Movie | |
| Rai Premium HD | 525 | National DTV Satellite |
May 26, 2016 | HD version of Rai Premium | |
| Rai Sport 1 HD | 557 | National DTV Satellite |
September 14, 2015 | HD version of Rai Sport 1 | |
 |
Rai Italia | International Satellite |
January 1, 1992 | reaching out overseas Italians | |
| Rai World Premium | International Satellite |
Italian culture | |||
 |
Rai Ladinia | Regional | Ladin language channel in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol | ||
 |
Rai Südtirol | Regional | German language channel in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol | ||
 |
Rai 3 BIS FJK | 103 | Regional | 1995 | Slovenian language channel in Friuli-Venezia Giulia/Furlanija Julijska Krajina |
Discontinued channels[edit]
- Rai Azzurri: UEFA Euro 2004 (2004, broadcast using Rai Utile frequencies)
- Rai Doc: cultures, styles (April 1, 2004—June 1, 2007)
- Rai Extra: generalist (July 31, 2003—November 26, 2010)
- Rai Festival (broadcast using Rai Utile frequencies)
- Rai Futura: technologies, games, etc. (May 30, 2005—February 1, 2007, broadcast on the same frequences of Rai Doc at settled times)
- Rai HD (April 22, 2008—September 18, 2016)
- Rai Med (April 26, 2001—April 2014)
- Rai Olimpia: 2004 Summer Olympics (2004, broadcast using Rai Utile frequencies)
- Rai Sport 2 HD (August 1, 2016—September 19, 2016, HD version launched for 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games)
- Rai UniNettuno Sat Uno (November 10, 1997—April 2014)
- Rai UniNettuno Sat Due (2003—February 1, 2009)
- Rai Utile (January 4, 2004—January 1, 2008)
- Rai Widescreen: 1998 FIFA World Cup (1998—1999)
- Rai On Cultura (IPTV)
- Rai On Fiction (IPTV)
- Rai On Fiction Live (IPTV)
- Rai On News (IPTV)
- Rai On Ragazzi (IPTV)
- Rai On Spettacolo (IPTV)
- Rai On Sport (IPTV)
- RaiSat 1 (1998—1999)
- RaiSat 2 (September 29, 1997—July 1, 1999)
- RaiSat 3 (October 13, 1997—September 7, 2000)
- RaiSat Album (June 1, 1999—July 30, 2003)
- RaiSat Art (1999—July 30, 2003)
- RaiSat Fiction (March 1, 2001—July 30, 2003)
- RaiSat Gambero Rosso Channel (1999—July 31, 2009)
- RaiSat Ragazzi (July 1, 1999—October 31, 2006)
- RaiSat Show (June 1, 1999—July 31, 2003)
- RaiSat Smash Girls (November 1, 2006—August 1, 2009)
Radio channels[edit]
FM, AM, Satellite, DAB/DAB+, DTT, Filodiffusion, Web:
- Rai Radio 1: news and information
- Rai Radio 2: adult contemporary music and conversation
- Rai Radio 3: classical music and culture
- Rai Radio 4 Light: easy-listening music
- Rai Radio 5 Classica: classic and opera music
- Rai Radio 6 Teca: featuring items from the radio archives
- Rai Radio 7 Live: music
- Rai Radio 8 Opera: opera music
- Rai GR Parlamento: coverage of proceedings in the Italian Parliament
- Rai IsoRadio: for motorway users
- Rai Südtirol Radio: German-language programmes for the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region
- Rai Radio Trst A: Slovene-language programmes for the Friuli-Venezia Giulia/Furlanija Julijska Krajina region
Discontinued channels[edit]
- RadioStereoDue (1982—1991)
- RadioVerdeRai (1991—1994)
- Rai Italia Radio (July 1, 1930—December 31, 2011)
On demand service[edit]
- Rai Play
Headquarters and offices[edit]
| Seat | Centers of television production | Auditoriums/theatres | Studios |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome | CPTV Via Teulada, 66 | 9 | |
| Rome | CP Saxa Rubra | 16 | |
| Rome | Studi Dear, Via Ettore Romagnoli, 30 | 6 | |
| Rome | Teatro delle Vittorie | 1 theatre | |
| Rome | Rai Auditorium of Foro Italico | 1 auditorium | |
| Milan | CP corso Sempione, 27 | 3 auditoriums | 5 |
| Milan | East End Studios via Mecenate, 76 | 4 | |
| Naples | CP Viale Marconi, 9 | 1 auditorium | 7 |
| Turin | CP via Verdi, 16 | 1 auditorium | 6 |
| Turin | Grattacielo Rai Corso Bolzano | 5 | |
| Palermo | CP Viale Strasburgo, 19 | 4 |
Local offices[edit]
- North-West: Genoa, Saint Christophe
- North-East: Bologna, Bolzano, Trento, Trieste, Venice
- Centre: Ancona, Florence, Perugia, Pescara
- South: Bari, Campobasso, Cosenza, Potenza
- Islands: Cagliari, Palermo
Foreign offices[edit]
There are RAI offices in foreign countries, which produce news reports that are broadcast live in Italy. These offices are in: Brussels, Paris, Berlin, London, New York City, Beijing, Cairo, Jerusalem, Nairobi, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro.
See also[edit]
- Television in Italy
- Television licensing in Italy
- Digital terrestrial television in Italy
- Prix Italia
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d [1] (English) Retrieved on 13-01-2016
- ^ Il Grupo Rai - La struttura aziendale
- ^ Originally a distinction was made in Italian between wireless telegraphy (radiofonia) and wireless telephony (radioaudizione circolare). The latter term has now fallen into disuse. La radio in Italia cronologia (Italian) Retrieved on 2007-11-28
- ^ "Ascolti tv 2013 - Predominio Rai con Rai1 - DavideMaggio.it". DavideMaggio.it. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ "Basta con il governo padrone, così cambierà la Tv pubblica" (Italian) Retrieved on 2007-10-10
- ^ " DDL Riforma Rai" (Italian) Italian Ministry of Communications, Retrieved on 2007-10-10
- ^ The Origins of radio broadcasting in Italy Comitato Guglielmo Marconi International (retrieved 27 November 2011)
- ^ Gazzetta Ufficiale No. 11 of 15 January 1925 pp. 164-167
- ^ retrieved on 2009-06-21 (Italian)
- ^ "RAI's privatisation is de facto suspended", its new director general, Alfredo Meocci, told a parliamentary watchdog committee.
- ^ "Berlusconi halts plan to sell off state broadcaster". Financial Times. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ "Il pubblico in fuga da una Rai faziosa". Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ ""Rai faziosa" Brunetta lancia l'osservatorio online". Retrieved 5 July 2015.
- ^ "Corte dei Conti, alert sul debito della Rai". Repubblica.it. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
External links[edit]
Media related to RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana at Wikimedia Commons
- rai.it
- raiplay.it
- Rai Expo official multilanguage site, a library of about 1000 videos exploring and explaining "Expo di Milano 2015" theme
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Coordinates: 41°55′4″N 12°27′59″E / 41.91778°N 12.46639°E
