Rai Fiction

2009 witnessed the launch of production of about 500 television hours of TV fiction series.

Most of the investments were destined to the production of TV fiction series for the networks' prime time slots.

Alongside the classic format of Italian TV fiction series, based on episodes lasting 100 minutes, more and more space was allocated to series with episodes lasting 50 minutes, which are very flexible in terms of programming, particularly when it comes to repeats.

Once again, in the production of 2009, the main event titles of Rai's production were historical or contemporary miniseries, which were particularly successful with viewers and critics, particularly in the autumn season and at the beginning of 2010.

Also during 2009, the first season of the soap opera Agrodolce (made in cooperation with Rai Educational) was completed and the fourteenth season of the series Un Posto al Sole was launched.

As regards cartoons, the investment in the production of Italian and European works has become the mainstay of the two children's theme-based channels of the Rai Group (Gulp and YoYo), while continuing to constantly feed the young children's time slots on RaiDue and RaiTre.

As regards ratings, a mention must go to the immense success of the entire offering of TV fiction for the autumn 2009 guarantee season.

TV fiction was the genre most programmed by RaiUno during the guarantee period and touched an average share of 26% again � a result which had not been achieved for years and which was thought to be impossible in the new broken-down context of offering.

In the classification of the ten mostwatched fiction titles during the year, no less than nine positions were occupied by Rai products, confirming its consolidated leadership in the genre.

In 2009, Rai fiction witnessed the debut of series characterised by outstanding innovation in terms of language, like Tutti Pazzi per Amore, and the relaunch of historical series such as Don Matteo and Un Medico in Famiglia, which enjoyed a strong relaunch of the brand and success with the public.

The success of ratings was accompanied by the positive results achieved in the festivals and international competitions, with the nomination at the Emmy Awards for Coco Chanel, the victory of the series Tutti Pazzi per Amore at the TV Oscars as best series of the year, and the victory at the FIPA by Lo Scandalo della Banca Romana.

The brave decision to face harsh subjects like the life of Basaglia (C'era una volta la città dei matti) and the tragedy of deaths at work (Gli ultimi del Paradiso), TV fiction programmes produced in 2009, brought this genre back to the fore on the country's leading media, with extremely positive comments by critics and experts.

TV Division Genres 55 As regards theme-based channels, we ought to mention the good result of the Premium channel, based almost entirely on repeats of Rai fiction series, which in the regions where the switch-off has already been completed has become one of the leading channels in the new offering.