RAI

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This article is about the Italian national broadcasting company. For other uses, see Rai (disambiguation).
Rai
Società per azioni (S.p.A.), state-owned
Industry Mass media
Founded
  • 1924; 100 years ago (1924) (as URI)
  • 1944; 80 years ago (1944) (as RAI)
  • 1954; 70 years ago (1954) (as RAI S.p.A.)
Founder Government of Italy
Headquarters Rome, Italy
Area served
 Italy and other neighbouring countries in the European Union, Tunisia, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino and Vatican City
Key people
  • Carlo Fuortes (CEO)
  • Marinella Soldi (Chairman)
Products
Services
Revenue Increase €2.493 billion (2019)[1]
Decrease €191.6 million (2019)[1]
Decrease €-54.6 million (2019)[1]
Owner Ministry of Economy and Finance
Number of employees
 11,635 (2014)[2]
Subsidiaries
  • Rai Way
  • Rai Pubblicità S.p.A.
  • Rai Com S.p.A.
  • Rai Cinema S.p.A.
  • 01 Distribution S.r.l.
Website

RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana[3] (Italian pronunciation: [ˈrai ˌradjoteleviˈzjoːne itaˈljaːna]; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane)[4] is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terrestrial and subscription television channels and radio stations. It is one of the biggest broadcasters in Italy competing with Mediaset,[5] and other minor radio and television networks. RAI has a relatively high television audience share of 35.9%.[6]

RAI broadcasts are also received in surrounding countries, including Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Slovenia, Vatican City, Switzerland, France and Tunisia, and elsewhere on pay television and some channels FTA across Europe including UK on the Hotbird satellite. Half of RAI's revenues come from broadcast receiving licence fees, the remainder from the sale of advertising time.[7][8] In 1950, RAI became one of the 23 founding members of the European Broadcasting Union.

History

1924

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 metres wavelength. To all those who are listening our greetings, good evening".[9] 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".[10] 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.

1940s

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 could not afford to travel.

Over the following years the RAI made various changes to its services. It reorganised its radio stations in November 1946 into two national networks, Rete Rossa and Rete Azzurra ("Red Network" and "Blue Network"). It 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.

1950s

In 1954 the state-owned holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI) became the sole shareholder and IRI – 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.[11]

2000s

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.

The RAI is governed by a nine-member Administrative Council. Seven of the 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 privatisation 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 privatisation plan was suspended in October 2005.[12][13]

2010s

On 18 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 11 June 2013, RAI was one of the few known European broadcasters to condemn and criticize the closure of Greece's state broadcaster ERT.

RAI 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.[14][15]

Corporate identity

  • Logo of RAI (1954-1983).svg

    The Erberto Carboni logo used from 3 January 1954 to 1983.

  • Logo of RAI (1983-1988).png

    Rai logo from 3 October 1983 to 26 September 1988 (Studio ARA).

  • Logo of RAI (1988-2000).svg

    The Giorgio Macchi redesign used from 26 September 1988 to 30 September 2000.

  • Logo of RAI (2000-2010).svg

    The "butterfly" logo used from 1 October 2000 to 17 May 2010 (Società AReA).

  • Logo of RAI (2010-2016).svg

    Rai logo from 18 May 2010 to 11 September 2016 (Società FrameByFrame).

  • Logo of RAI.svg

    Current variation of the logo introduced on 12 September 2016.

The Alberto Ribera logo was introduced in 1967, however, this did not have significant application except on studios and portable cameras. A second variation of the Carboni logo was introduced in 1977, which was not officially adopted but appeared in some graphics, including that of the time signal.[16]

TV channels

Current channels

Logo Name Channel Type Launched Description
Generalist and semi generalist
48px
 Rai 1 501 Free-to-air
Satellite		 3 January 1954 Generalist and family-oriented
48px
 Rai 2 502 Free-to-air
Satellite		 4 November 1961 Generalist, catering towards urban audiences
48px
 Rai 3 503, 3 Free-to-air
Satellite		 15 December 1979 Cultural and regional programming
48px
 Rai 4 21 Free-to-air
Satellite		 14 July 2008 Youth/urban programming and movies
48px
 Rai 5 23 Free-to-air
Satellite		 26 November 2010 Arts and culture programming
Thematic
56px
 Rai Movie 24 Free-to-air
Satellite		 1 July 1999 Movies
56px
 Rai Premium 25 Free-to-air
Satellite		 31 July 2003 Popular fiction and films
56px
 Rai Gulp 42 Free-to-air
Satellite		 1 June 2007 Shows aimed at young children ages 8–14
56px
 Rai Yoyo 43 Free-to-air 1 November 2006 Shows aimed at young children ages 4–7
56x56px
 Rai News 24 48 Free-to-air
Satellite		 26 April 1999 Non-stop rolling news
48px
 Rai Storia 54 Free-to-air 2 February 2009 Documentaries about history and culture
56px
 Rai Scuola 57 Free-to-air
Satellite		 19 October 2009 Documentary, cultural and educational
56px
 Rai Sport 146 Free-to-air 1 February 1999 Sports coverage and related news

In high definition and ultra definition

Logo Name Channel Type Launched Description
48px
 Rai 1 HD 1 Free-to-air 25 October 2013 HD version of Rai 1
48px
 Rai 2 HD 2 Free-to-air 25 October 2013 HD version of Rai 2
48px
 Rai 3 HD 103 Free-to-air 25 October 2013 HD version of Rai 3
48px
 Rai 4 HD 521* Free-to-air 22 January 2016 HD version of Rai 4
48px
 Rai 5 HD — Free-to-view 19 September 2016 HD version of Rai 5
48px
 Rai Movie HD — Free-to-view 26 May 2016 HD version of Rai Movie
48px
 Rai Premium HD — Free-to-air 26 May 2016 HD version of Rai Premium
48px
 Rai Gulp HD — Free-to-air 4 January 2017 HD version of Rai Gulp
48px
 Rai Yoyo HD — Free-to-air 4 January 2017 HD version of Rai Yoyo
48px
 Rai News 24 HD — Free-to-air 4 January 2017 HD version of Rai News 24
48px
 Rai Storia HD — Free-to-air 4 January 2017 HD version of Rai Storia
48px
 Rai Sport + HD 58 Free-to-air 14 September 2015 HD version of Rai Sport
48px
 Rai Scuola HD — Free-to-air 4 January 2017 HD version of Rai Scuola
48px
 Rai 4K (it) 210 Free-to-view 17 June 2016 Ultra HD channel

Due to the broadcasting rights of the free-to-air satellite channels Rai 1, Rai 2, Rai 3 and Rai Sport in some programs, broadcasts outside Italy are encrypted. In particular, it takes part in copyrighted programs (mostly foreign productions) and international sports competitions. In the past, it was encrypted as Discrete in analog satellite television broadcasts due to broadcasting rights outside Italy. Rai channels will not be broadcast due to broadcasting rights on digital platforms outside Italy.

International

Logo Name Channel Launched Description
56px
 Rai Italia — 1 January 1992 Catered towards Italian expatriates
56x56px
 Rai World Premium (it) — 6 May 2013 Italian culture and national TV shows

Regional

Logo Name Channel Launched Language Region
56x56px
 Rai Alto Adige (it) 1960 Italian Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
56px
 Rai Ladinia 1988 Ladin Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
67px
 Rai Südtirol 103 1966 German Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
56px
 Rai 3 BIS FJK (it) 1995 Italian and Slovene Friuli-Venezia Giulia/Furlanija Julijska Krajina

Discontinued channels

Radio stations

File:Logo of RAI Radio.svg
Rai Radio logo (September 2017)

Current stations

On FM, AM, Satellite, DAB/DAB+, DTT, Filodiffusion, Web:

Regional stations:

Only on Satellite, DAB/DAB+, DTT, Filodiffusion and Web:

  • Rai Radio Techete' logo.svg
  • Rai Radio Live logo.svg
  • Rai Radio Kids logo.svg
  • Rai Radio 1 Sport - Logo 2018.svg
  • Rai Radio 2 Indie - Logo 2018.svg

Discontinued stations

Divisions and subsidiaries

Strutture Rai (it) (Rai Structures) is a news organization internal to Rai, or rather an internal management and division, created in order to independently manage the programs broadcast on the generalist and, in particular, thematic networks. After 2000, Rai reorganized its corporate structure with the creation of specific structures, listed here:

  • Rai Cultura - Logo 2018.svg
  • Rai Documentari logo.svg
  • Rai Expo Caterina Stagno.jpg
  • Rai Giornale Radio - Logo 2017.svg
  • Rai Gold - Logo 2019.svg
  • Rai Meteo - Logo 2018.svg
  • Rai News - Logo 2021.svg
  • Logo of RAI Parlamento.svg
  • Rai Quirinale - Logo 2018.svg
  • Rai Sport - Logo 2017.svg
  • Rai Vaticano - Logo 2018.svg

Related companies

  • Rai Cinema (it) (1998–): film production company
  • Rai Click (it) (2000–2009): television programs on demand, later replaced by Rai On (it)
  • Rai Com (it) (2015–): promotes the marketing rights of the productions
  • Rai Pubblicità (it) (1926–): advertising agency
  • Rai Corporation (it) (1960–2012): production, distribution and marketing in the United States
  • RaiNet (it) (1999–2014): managed the web portals from the rai.it and rai.tv domains
  • RaiSat (1997–2010): subsidiary created to produce thematic TV channels for satellite television
  • Rai Trade (it) (1987–2011): promoted the marketing rights of the productions
  • Rai World (it) (2011–14), previously Rai Internazionale (it) (1995–2011): radio and television distribution abroad, operated Rai Italia
  • Rai Way (1999–): broadcasting network for the distribution of the broadcast signal
  • Sacis (it) (1955–1997): television rights management and marketing
  • Rai Cinema - Logo 2018.svg
  • LOGO-01-2015-colore.png
  • Rai Com - Logo 2018.svg
  • Rai Pubblicità - Logo 2017.svg
  • Rai Net Logo.jpg
  • Rai-Trade-2010.png
  • Rai World.svg

Other services

  • Rai Alto Adige - Logo 2018.svg
  • Rai Mobilità - Logo 2018.svg
  • RaiPlay Sound.svg
  • RaiPlay Yoyo.svg

Rai Libri

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Main article: Rai Libri
Rai Libri
Formerly called
  • Rai Eri (1996–2018)
  • Nuova Eri (1987–1995)
  • Edizioni Radio Italiana (ERI) (1949–1987)
Industry Publishing
Genre
  • Magazines
  • Broadcast schedules
  • Media reports
Predecessor URI/RAI
Founded 1949; 75 years ago (1949) in Turin, Italy.
Headquarters Turin, Italy
Parent RAI

Rai Libri is the print publishing arm of Rai, headquartered in Turin. They primarily publish magazines and periodicals for news, entertainment, the broadcast industry, and since their beginning, broadcast schedules. They also have published since 1969 the Dictionary of Orthography and Pronunciation (Wikidata), the largest Italian dictionary of its kind.

Publishing history

RAI's history in print with the Unione Radiofonica Italiana (URI)'s weekly magazine Radio Orario which debuted in January 1925 and became Radiocorriere in 1930. Edizioni Radio Italiana (ERI) was founded in 1949 in Turin, formed entirely from RAI capital to build on Radiocorriere's success. In 1954 primary ownership was split between RAI and Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI).[17] That same year Radiocorriere became Radiocorriere TV, which would continue to be published until RAI divested in 1995.[18]

During the 50s and 60s the ERI published Classe Unica, L'Approdo letterario (it) and L'Approdo Musicale (it), and in 1969 the first edition of the DOP. The 80s saw the premiere of the monthlies Moda (1983) and King (1987),[19] along with registering a new company name in 1987: Nuova Eri Edizioni Rai-Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A., or "Nuova ERI".[17]

Since the 90s RAI/ERI has increasingly focused on publishing books written by its own broadcast stars, both in news and entertainment. In 1995 Nuova ERI closed and reopened in 1997 as "Rai Eri".[20] On 15 October 2018, they renamed to "Rai Libri".

Rai Libri also edits technical publications: Elettronica e telecomunicazioni since 1946,[21] Nuova rivista musicale italiana since 1967,[22] and Nuova civiltà delle macchine since 1957.[23] It produces its own reports on communications and media, with the second edition of the book-and-documentary RicordeRai released in 2004 in collaboration with Rai Teche.

Radiocorriere TV

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Main article: Radiocorriere TV

RAI (originally URI) had printed its broadcast schedules nearly without interruption starting in 1925 as Radio Orario, then from 1930 as Radiocorriere,[24][25] then continuously from 1954 as Radiocorriere TV, until RAI divested in 1995.

The magazine was restarted under publisher Rcc edizioni (it) with a print edition from 1999 to 2008, closing due to poor sales. It reopened in 2012 as an online-only publication, with a handful of special-occasion independent print runs in the intervening years, including 2005 (its 80th anniversary),[26] 2010 (switchover to DTTV),[27] and 2011 (150th anniversary of the unification of Italy).[28] The "Rai Ufficio Stampa [press office]" website has meanwhile published programming schedules and television blurbs online since 2011 under the magazine's name. On 3 January 2014, Rai Teche published online the complete 1925–1995 archives of URI/RAI's Radio Orario/Radiocorriere/TV.[29]

Headquarters and offices

Seat Centers of television production Auditoriums/theatres Studios
Rome Centro radiotelevisivo "Biagio Agnes", Saxa Rubra 16
Rome CPTV Via Teulada, 66 9
Rome CPTV Studi "Fabrizio Frizzi", Via Ettore Romagnoli, 30 6
Rome Teatro delle Vittorie 1 theatre
Rome Auditorium of Foro Italico 1 auditorium
Milan CP Corso Sempione, 27 3 auditoriums 5
Milan CPTV Via Mecenate, 76 4
Naples CP Viale Marconi, 9 1 auditorium 7
Turin CP Via Verdi, 16 1 auditorium 6

Local offices

Foreign offices

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, and Bangkok.

Finances

Debt level

As March 2015, the RAI has a debt of €442 million and the Italian Court of Audit was worried about the size of RAI's debt for the impact that this may have on Italian people, as the company is owned by the state.[30]

Mandatory annual fee on all televisions in Italy

Italians must purchase an annual television licence for about €90 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 the RAI. Since 2016, it is financed through the electricity bill.[31]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 [1] Script error: No such module "In lang". Retrieved on 23-04-2021
  2. ↑ [2] Script error: No such module "In lang". Retrieved on 13-01-2016
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 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 Archived 18 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine Script error: No such module "In lang". Retrieved on 2007-11-28
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ "Basta con il governo padrone, così cambierà la Tv pubblica" Archived 2007-12-27 at archive.today Script error: No such module "In lang". Retrieved on 2007-10-10
  8. ↑ " DDL Riforma Rai" Archived 2007-12-13 at archive.today Script error: No such module "In lang". Italian Ministry of Communications, Retrieved on 2007-10-10
  9. ↑ The Origins of radio broadcasting in Italy Archived 7 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Comitato Guglielmo Marconi International (retrieved 27 November 2011)
  10. ↑ Gazzetta Ufficiale No. 11 of 15 January 1925 pp. 164-167
  11. ↑ retrieved on 2009-06-21 Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Script error: No such module "In lang".
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Storia ed evoluzione del logo RAI - Radiotelevisione italiana (retrieved 14 March 2020)
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Annuario RAI 1988 1989, Torino, Nuova ERI, 1989
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Rivista tecnica dal 1946, cfr. il sito.
  22. ↑ Nata nel 1967 è oggi diretta da Giovanni Carli Ballola, Paolo Donati, Giorgio Pestelli, Giancarlo Rostirolla e Roman Vlad
  23. ↑ Su progetto di Leonardo Sinisgalli che ne diresse la prima serie (1957-1979) è oggi diretta dal comitato scientifico di Dario Antiseri, Edoardo Boncinelli, Umberto Bottazzini, Vittorio Marchis e Silvano Tagliagambe in collaborazione con il Centro D.I.E.A. (Documentazione su Ingegneria ed Etica Ambientale) della Facoltà di Ingegneria dell'Università di Bologna.
  24. ↑ Radio Orario – History (1925)
  25. ↑ Images of Radiocorriere from the 1930s: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., Altre prime pagine dal 1936 al 1977.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Radiocorriere TV 2010 TVRD edition[dead link]
  28. ↑ AGI.it - 'NATA PER UNIRE', CD CANZONI 150° UNITA' ITALIA Archived 2011-02-21 at the Wayback Machine
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons

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