TV Production

IIn short, the TV Production unit is a sort of television 'factory' creativity, professionalism and technology that support the entire production process, so as to achieve the best results possible and to guarantee Rai's high quality standards.

In terms of production, 2009 was a year characterised by particular commitment. The events of international importance, which required a guarantee of high quality production standards, included:

- the Champions League Final in Rome on 27 May. The year's most-followed international event, with 109 million viewers all over the world. High Definition coverage and the spectacularity of the final were guaranteed by 38 cameras (with shooting also from a helicopter), the HD signal and stereo and Dolby Digital sound, all controlled from two mobile direction units;

- the international summit of the world's eight most-industrialised countries, the G8, held in L'Aquila from 8 to 10 July. Rai was Host Broadcaster for the production of the multilateral signal and for the technical-operational support of all the broadcasters present. Rai's overall commitment of professional figures implicated about 110 operating units;

- the World Swimming Championship in Rome, from 18 July to 2 August. The event achieved record-breaking figures (183 countries competing with 2,800 registered athletes). Two hundred hours of live broadcasts with HD signal, 70 cameras including several special aerial and underwater ones, 50 journalists and 220 technicians and assistants. In order to guarantee adequate technical support for Rai production (in its capacity as Host Broadcaster) of the event, fibre optic link-ups were developed and implemented from the Foro Italico to the Production Centre in Via Teulada;

- the 16th Mediterranean Games, from 26 June to 5 July 2009, held in sports venues in Abruzzo. Athletes and national teams from 23 countries took part. Rai supported the Organising Committee for the live television coverage of the finals. Daily availability of about 10 ENG teams for coverage of all the disciplines (or most significant phases of the events). The highlights and summaries were also broadcast on a daily basis, included in the multilateral feed programming.

We mustn't forget the new TGR product, Buongiorno Regione, which was launched on an experimental basis at the end of 2008 in just 4 regions and is now up and running nationwide, involving all the regional offices.

A final mention goes to the intervention of our production machine � implemented immediately � to report on the earthquake that hit Abruzzo on 6 April. This involved the large-scale use of human resources and equipment, which were sent immediately to the site of the disaster to guarantee adequate technical support for the News programmes and Editorial structures. Even after the initial emergency phase, the decision was made to monitor the situation constantly in order to guarantee link-ups for the News programmes to provide reports on the places hit by the earthquake and on the reconstruction work.

In terms of technical investments, the most significant regarded the projects related to the digitalisation of the News, with operations to introduce new formats (XDCAM) and the new integrated digital system for Rai Notizie 24.

As regards the Regional Departments, the Campobasso offices were renewed and will start work in 2010. There were also numerous adaptation and digitalisation operations to accompany the switchover to DTT, not forgetting the new system of generation and publication for the Televideo teletext service, and the preparation of new infrastructures specifically for High Definition signals.

On the subject of High Definition, investments were made in two studios, Tv3 in Rome and Tv1 in Naples, in a new recording vehicle with 12-15 cameras (systems which will productive in 2010). The outside filming production lines were adapted in view of the realisation of big sporting events in HD (starting with the 2009 World Swimming Championship). The entire Fiction series production (Un posto al sole) was converted to HD in Naples, and this also implicated operations on the postproduction lines. Further investments were made in the Regional Offices and in the Production Centres, with a view to adapting the systems to cope with the increasing demand for production in 16:9 for the DTT platform.