History
The origins of the channel can be traced back to 21 March 1938, when the EIAR – which was to become Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI) in 1944 – began transmitting a second, separately programmed radio service in major cities.
Following the end of World War II and reconstruction and improvement of the surviving transmitter network, radio broadcasting was reorganized (with effect from 3 November 1946) to provide two national channels covering most of the country. The first channel was known as the Rete Azzurra (blue network) and the second as the Rete Rossa (red network). These "neutral" names were chosen to imply that, while at any one time each channel aimed to provide programming of a contrasting style to that available on the other, the two channels were nominally equal in status and had an equally wide-ranging remit.
On 1 January 1952, as part of a move aimed at giving each of its channels a more distinctive "personality" – a cultural Terzo Programma (third programme) having already been added on 1 October 1950 – RAI renamed the Rete Rossa as the Secondo Programma (second programme), [1] [2] later to become RAI Radio 2.
The Eurovision Song Contest 1956 was the first edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radio svizzera italiana (RSI) on behalf of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. The contest, originally titled the Gran premio Eurovisione 1956 della canzone europea, was held on 24 May 1956 at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland, and hosted by Swiss television presenter Lohengrin Filipello, which remains the only time that the contest has been hosted by a solo male presenter.
The Eurovision Song Contest 1965 was the 10th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on 20 March 1965 in the Sala di Concerto della RAI in Naples, Italy and presented by Renata Mauro. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radiotelevisione italiana (RAI), the contest was held in Italy following the country's victory at the 1964 contest with the song "Non ho l'età" by Gigliola Cinquetti. Eighteen countries were represented at the contest – a new record number of participants. Joining the sixteen countries which had participated in the previous year's event were Sweden, who returned after a one-year absence, and Ireland, in its first-ever contest entry.
The Eurovision Song Contest 1971 was the 16th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Dublin, Ireland, following the country's victory at the 1970 contest with the song "All Kinds of Everything" by Dana. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ), the contest was held at the Gaiety Theatre on 3 April 1971, and was hosted by Irish television presenter Bernadette Ní Ghallchóir.
The Eurovision Song Contest 1972 was the 17th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom and was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), who agreed to stage the event after the Monégasque broadcaster Télé Monte Carlo (TMC), who won in 1971, was unable to meet the demands of hosting the event and could not find a suitable venue. The contest was held at the Usher Hall on 25 March 1972 and was hosted by Scottish ballet dancer Moira Shearer. Eighteen countries took part in the contest, the same number as the previous year.
The Eurovision Song Contest 1978 was the 23rd edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Paris, France, following the country's victory at the 1977 contest with the song "L'Oiseau et l'Enfant" by Marie Myriam. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Télévision Française 1 (TF1), the contest was held at the Grand Amphitheatre inside the Palais des Congrès on 22 April 1978 and was directed by Bernard Lion. The contest was presented by French television presenters Denise Fabre and Léon Zitrone. This was the first time that more than one presenter had hosted the contest as well as the first to have a male presenter since 1956.
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana, commercially styled as Rai since 2000 and known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI), 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 Europe, and the biggest in Italy competing with Mediaset and other minor radio and television networks. RAI has a relatively high television audience share of 35.9%.
Rai 2 is an Italian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana. It is the company's second television channel, and is known for broadcasting TG2 news bulletins, talk shows, reality television, drama series, sitcoms, cartoons and infotainment. In the 1980s it was known for its political affiliation to the Italian Socialist Party, it has shifted recently its focus towards the youth, including in its schedule reality shows, entertainment, TV series, news, knowledge and sports.
The year 1946 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting history.
Rai Radio 3 is an Italian radio channel operated by the state-owned public-broadcasting organization RAI and specializing in culture and classical music. It is currently directed by Andrea Montanari.
Television in Italy was introduced in 1939, when the first experimental broadcasts began. However, this lasted for a very short time: when fascist Italy entered World War II in 1940, all transmissions were interrupted, and were resumed in earnest only nine years after the end of the war, on January 3, 1954.
Rai Radio 1 is an Italian radio channel operated by the state-owned public-broadcasting organisation RAI and specialising in news, sports, talk programmes, and popular music.
Alberto Mantelli was an Italian musicologist and music critic.
Loretta Goggi is an Italian singer, actress, and television presenter. Goggi's records have sometimes entered the Italian pop charts. She was the first runner-up at the 1981 Sanremo Festival with the song "Maledetta primavera", her most famous pop hit.
The Sanremo Music Festival 1984, officially the 34th Italian Song Festival, was the 34th annual Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Teatro Ariston in Sanremo between 2 and 4 February 1984 and broadcast by Rai 1. The show was presented by Pippo Baudo, who also served as the artistic director, assisted by Iris Peynado, Elisabetta Gardini, Tiziana Pini and Edy Angelillo.
Radiocorriere TV, formerly Radiocorriere (1930–1954) and Radio Orario (1925–1930), is an Italian-language listings magazine, with weekly print editions published in Italy between 1925 and 1995 under the press of RAI. It rebooted under publisher RCC Edizioni and owner Rai Trade with print editions from 1999–2008, then closed due to poor sales and reopened as an online magazine in 2012. Since 1995 it has also had occasional special-edition print runs under various publishers.
The Sanremo Music Festival 1960, officially the 10th Italian Song Festival, was the tenth annual Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Sanremo Casino in Sanremo between 28 and 30 January 1960 and presented by Paolo Ferrari and Enza Sampò. Ezio Radaelli served as artistic director.
Rai Teche is a company that manages all archived material that has been produced and broadcast by Italian national public broadcaster RAI throughout its history.
The Sanremo Music Festival 1957, officially the 7th Italian Song Festival, was the seventh annual Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Sanremo Casino in Sanremo between 7 and 9 February 1957. The show was presented by television presenter Nunzio Filogamo, assisted by Marisa Allasio, Fiorella Mari, Nicoletta Orsomando.
The Sanremo Music Festival 1956, officially the 6th Italian Song Festival, was the sixth annual Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Sanremo Casino in Sanremo between 8 and 10 March 1956. The show was presented by actor Fausto Tommei, assisted by television announcer Maria Teresa Ruta.
The Sanremo Music Festival 1952, officially the 2nd Italian Song Festival, was the second annual Sanremo Music Festival, held at the Sanremo Casino in Sanremo between 28 and 30 January 1952. The show was presented by Nunzio Filogamo.
