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RAI
Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A., Italy’s Public Broadcaster, was officially established on August 27th,
1924 as URI, Unione Radiofonica Italiana (Italian
Radio Union). URI was set up by Radiofono, wich held 85% of the
capital and was controlled by the Marconi company, and Sirac (Societa'
Italiana Audizioni Circolari). Two
months later, (October 6th, 1924) in Rome, URI started a regular sevice
limited to some hours of evening programs. On April 9th, 1926 URI and
SIRAC founded the
Societa' Italiana Pubblicita' Radiofonica Anonima (SIPRA, Italian Society
for Radio Advertising).
On
December 1927, the URI became the EIAR, Ente Italiano Audizioni
Radiofoniche (Italian
company for radio auditions).
On June 30th, 1931 Società
Idroelettrica Piemonte (SIP,
Hydroelectrical
Piedmontese Society) took full control of SIPRA and on July 11th, 1931 the
Goverment awarded EIAR with an exclusive radio concession for a period of
25 years. In 1933 SIP
became the largest shareholder of EIAR and some years later IRI (Istituto
per la Ricostruzione Industriale S.p.A.) became the owner of SIP.
On October 26th, 1944 the EIAR became the RAI (Radio Audizioni
Italia) and on November
3rd, 1946 radio programming was divided between two networks: "Rete
Azzurra" and "Rete Rossa".
In 1949, television tests began and on September 15, ERI was created. In
1950 RAI
participated in the creation of the Union Européenne de Radiodiffusion
(UER) (Radiobroadcasting European Union) and on October 1st, 1950 RAI's
cultural radio channel, Terzo Programma Radiofonico, was launched.
On
January 26, 1952 the government gave to RAI the exclusivity of radio, TV
and cable broadcasting until December 15th, 1972 and
the
Company´s Direction-General moved to Rome. The management central
directions remained in Turin.
In 1954 IRI became the major shareholder and on
April 10, 1954
R.A.I.
became RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A.
RAI started
VHF regular television service on January 3, 1954 and in January 1957 RAI's
coverage spread throughout the entire national territory. On November 4,
1961 RAI's Second National Channel was born reaching 52% of the population
and in 1975 the Italian Parlament approved a new law to reform the RAI. February 1, 1977 marks the
beginning of color broadcasting (PAL) in Italy and that same year the
Constitutional Court ended RAI´s monopoly. On December 15, 1979 RAI's Third
Channel started its transmissions on a national and regional basis
reaching 45% of the population. In
1995, RAI established the RAI
International Channel to promote the diffusion of its programs
abroad and in 1997 RAI launched RAI Educational. In February 1998
GRParlamento was launched and RAI News24 started in April 1999. Also in 1999 RAI created a new
business unit known as
Divisione Trasmissione e Diffusione (DTD) (Broadcasting Division) and set up
"NewCo TD" which was subsequently renamed RaiWay S.p.A.
RAI Sport was launched in February 2000 and in that same year RAI assigned to RaiWay the DTD technical assets and
staff. On March 1, 2000 RaiWay started its activities. RAI
operations -Three
national radio networks: Radio Uno, Radio Due and Radio Tre. -Two
thematic radio networks: GRParlamento, an Institutional Information Radio Channel
which
offers listeners direct information on the work of the Chamber of Deputies
and the Senate and analysis of the political activities, and Isoradio, a public utility channel which is addreesed to motorists
and those who travel. -Three
national television networks: RAI Uno, RAI Due and RAI Tre. -RAI
International. Created in 1994, it broadcasts Italian language radio and television
channels around the world. -Five
free to air satellite channels: RAI News24 (24 hours of local and international
news), RAI Sport, RAI Educational, RaiMed and RaiLab. -Seven
subscription channels: RaiSat Album (archive footage), RaiSat Art, RaiSat
Cinema, RaiSat Gambero Rosso Channel (gastronomy and wine), RaiSat Ragazzi
(children/youth) and RaiSat Show which were launched on July 1st, 1999 and
RaiSat Fiction which was launched March 1st, 2001. -Rai
National Symphony Orchestra which was founded in 1931. -RAI-ERI,
which carries RAI´s publishing operations.
The
RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A. Group includes the following subsidiary companies: RAI
Sat S.p.A. Founded in 1998 it develops, operates and distributes
RAI´s subscription satellite
channels. RAI owns 94.9%, RCS Editori owns 5% and Rai Trade has a 0.10%
stake.
S.I.P.R.A.
- Società Italiana Pubblicità per
Azioni
Founded
on April 9th,
1926 it´s Rai´s advertising sales company. SIPRA is a wholly owned subsidiary of RAI.
RAI
Corporation
It
is the American subsidiary of RAI
and it´s located in New York with offices in South America and
Canada. It was
established in 1960 as an operational base for the production of segments
of RAI programs, aired in Italy, and for the international distribution of
Italian programs. Today, RAI Corporation supplies a variety of services to
all departments of RAI, including the production of news and entertainment
programs, distribution, acquisition, sales and marketing research.
Rai Corporation - Italian Radio Television System is a wholly owned
subsidiary of RAI. Rai Corporation owns 100% of Rai Corporation Canada.
RAI
Trade S.p.A.
It
was created in
January 1998.
Headquartered in Rome with a subsidiary office in Milan, the company
incorporates three of RAI´s former autonomous sales departments: SACIS - S.p.A. Commerciale
Iniziative Spettacolo (sales and distribution
arm) closed down in 1998,
Nuova Fonit Cetra S.p.A. (music division) and
Nuova Eri
- Edizioni RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A.
(publishing division) and is engaged in the sales and marketing of all other RAI
products, including its pay -TV bouquets, merchandise and multimedia
packages. Rai Trade is a wholly owned
subsidiary of RAI. SACIS, Fonit and Nuova Eri were wholly owned
subsidiaries of RAI S.p.A. until they were transferred in 1998. SACIS - S.p.A. Commerciale
Iniziative Spettacolo and Nuova Eri
- Edizioni RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A. (founded in 1949) are
wholly owned subsidiaries of RAI Trade.
Nuova
Fonit Cetra S.p.A.
is owned
by Warner Music Italia S.p.A. (90%) and RAI Trade (10%).
It was created in 1957 from the merger between FONIT (Fonodisco
Italiano Trevisan), founded in 1927, and Cetra (Compagnia Edizioni,
Teatro, Registrazioni, Affini), founded in 1933, to form Fonit Cetra.
Fonit Cetra was acquired by SIP at the end of the 50s and in 1970 it was
transferred to RAI. In 1987 it suffered a restructuration and it was
transformed to Nuova Fonit Cetra S.p.A. (12499 shares were owned by RAI
and one by the Bacchini family). Between 1992 and 1995 Ricordi held 10% of
the capital and in 1995 it suffered a new restructuring.
RAI
Way S.p.A.
It
is responsible for the Group´s transmission, signal distribution
and broadcasting operations. RAI has a 99.99926% stake in it and Rai Trade
0.00074%.
RAI
Cinema S.p.A.
It
was created in December 1999 and started its operations on June 1st, 2000.
It is involved in Cinema production
and distribution and handles the purchasing of rights. In June 2001,
RaiCinema in partnership with Vivendi-Universal founded 01 Rai Cinema
& Studio Canal Distribution S.r.l. in which each partner holds a 50%
stake. RAI has a 99.10% stake in RAI Cinema and Rai Trade has a 0.90%
stake.
RAI
Click S.p.A.
It´s
a TV on-demand venture set up in 2001 by RAI (60%) and e.BisMedia S.p.A.,
a wholly owned subsidiary of e.Biscom S.p.A., (40%), which offers
information, entertainment and services on broadband. The Rai has made
available more than 10,000 hours of programmes from its archives and
current TV schedules and the e.Biscom group contributes its
infrastructures and technological knowhow.
RAI
NewMedia S.p.A.
Created
in 2000, it owns and operates the Group's activities in new media.
Serra
Creativa S.p.A.
Founded
on June 23th, 1999 it´s aimed to implement new television formats. RAI owns 99.9% and
Rai Trade 0.10%.
RAI
NET S.p.A.
Created
in June 1999, it operates the Rai.it website and is aiming at developing the
Company’s role in the new interactive services industry. RaiNet S.p.A.
is owned by RAI NewMedia (99.90%) and Rai Trade (0.10%).
RAI
Sport Set S.p.A.
It´s
a joint venture with RCS, the major Italian publishing group, in which
each company helds a 50% stake. The new media segment is controlled
by the sub-holding company RAI NewMedia.
San
Marino RTV S.p.A. It´s
the Public Broadcaster of the Republic of San Marino. RAI has a 50% stake. SCF
– Servizi Contabili e Fiscali S.r.l. RTV - RSM owns 95%
of SCF S.r.l. RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A.
shareholders are RAI Holding S.p.A (99.55%) and SIAE - Società Italiana
degli Autori ed Editori (0.45%). RAI
Holding S.p.A., owned by the
Ministry of the Treasury, was founded
on
November 7th, 2000 and on January 17th, 2001 RAI´s main shareholder, IRI,
transferred its stake to RAI Holding S.p.A..
RAI has 23 regional centers and four main production centers with 14123
employees (31.12.2000).
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