Italian public broadcaster RAI turns 70

The Italian public broadcaster RAI completed 3 years of history this Wednesday (70).

After several years of testing, on January 3, 1954, announcer Fulvia Colombo made RAI's first announcement by confirming that the broadcaster would begin its “regular television service".

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The event kicked off a new era in mass communication, mainly in Italy. In 1954, only 34% of the population had a television, as the country was still recovering from the consequences of World War II.

"Arrivals and Departures"(Arrivals and departures) opened the RAI programming with the presentation of Armando Pizzo and Mike Bongiorno, who would later become an icon of Italian television for interviewing several personalities.

The broadcaster will dedicate a special program throughout this Wednesday to remember its history, with archive images and various other memories that will be broadcast on RAI channels and the RaiPlay platform.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated the broadcaster on its 70th anniversary and stressed that it continues to be a “guarantee of pluralism and democracy”.

“RAI has never stopped following the collective process of cultural, social and civil growth and change. I take the opportunity of this important anniversary to thank Rai for the work it has done”, said the head of government.