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GETTING TO KNOW PRIX ITALIA

Every year, as it is a tradition, international working groups of media experts in different sectors hold their meetings at Prix Italia. During the 2021 edition in Milan, the Prix Italia had the honour to host the meetings of the EBU Legal and Policy Committee and the EBU Radio Committee. During the previous edition in 2020, the Prix Italia had the pleasure of hosting the EBU Executive Board, which includes the top managers of the most important European broadcasters. In addition to the member broadcasters, prestigious international partner organisations are part of the Prix Italia's community, such as: ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union), EBU (European Broadcasting Union), COPEAM (Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators), Japan Prize (International Contest for Educational Media), TAL (Televisión América Latina), URTI (International Radio and Television Union), SIGNIS (World Catholic Association for Communication) and the Italian Speaking Radio and Television Community.

In 2021, 241 entries were submitted by 56 public and private radio and television organisations, representing 33 countries.

Aims
To promote and celebrate quality, innovation and creativity in the production of Radio and Television programmes and Web content; to encourage member organisations to broadcast the programmes entered in the competition; to encourage communication and co-operation between all those who work creatively in the field of Radio, Television and the Web; to stimulate the study, understanding and discussion of creative and cultural issues relating to these means of expression.

History
The Festival, founded in Capri in 1948, was originally only devoted to radio works. In 1957, it was also opened to include television entries and, starting 1998, Web projects, initially on a trial basis and in the form of a Special Prize. It then went on to be organised in several important Italian towns and cities of art and culture so that it soon gained international fame, quickly becoming one of the most important international Festivals of its kind. The idea of awarding a top international Radio prize was first put forward in the spring of 1948 during a meeting between the General Director of RAI Salvino Sernesi, Programme Director Giulio Razzi as well as the Head of Drama and the Revue Section Sergio Pugliese. The 13th September of that same year was the date set for the delegations of 14 radio broadcasters to convene in Capri, representing Austria, the Vatican State, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Italy, the Principality of Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Trieste, at that time a free territory. An invitation to join the community was then extended to the United States, UNESCO and a number of culture bodies, such as the Italian Centre for Radio Studies, attending as observers. The Prix’s Rules and Regulations were there and then drawn up and a prize of international standing was established. One of Prix Italia’s distinguishing features written in its original Statute and still in existence today, was that the sum of money to be awarded to the winners would derive from the fee which each broadcaster would have to pay every Festival edition to the Prix’s Secretariat, a body created right from the outset. It was and indeed has been a democratic mechanism permitting member organisations to be responsible for their own decision-making and work.

People and Prizes
Over the years, a wide range of top international artists, leaders in their own respective fields, have presented their works at the Festivals; outstandingly gifted artists, writers like Bertolt Brecht, Riccardo Bacchelli, Umberto Eco, Italo Calvino, Eduardo De Filippo, Françoise Sagan; film directors such as Ermanno Olmi, Francesco Rosi, Krzysztof Zanussi, Sidney Pollack, Roberto Rossellini and composers like Luciano Berio, Bruno Maderna, Flavio Emilio Scogna, Lorenzo Ferrero and Krzysztof Penderecki to name but a few.
Furthermore, the long list of Prix’s celebrated winners includes such prestigious international names as Ingmar Bergman, Harold Pinter, Daisy Lumini, Eugène Ionesco, Federico Fellini, Samuel Beckett, René Clair, Werner Herzog and indeed several others.

Presidents Of The General Assembly
Graham Ellis 2017 - current BBC/UK
Gilles Marchand 2015 - 2016 SRG SSR/Switzerland
Rémy Pflimlin 2013 - 2014 France Télévisions
Eva Hamilton 2010 - 2012 SVT/Sweden
Robert Rabinovitch 2008 - 2009 CBC/Canada
Caroline Thomson 2005 - 2007 BBC/UK
Frank-Dieter Freiling 2002 - 2004 ZDF/Germany
James Graham 1999 - 2001 ITV/UK
Robert O’Reilly 1997 - 1998 CBC/Canada
Antonio Riva 1994 - 1996 SSR/Switzerland
Bruce C. Christensen 1991 - 1993 PBS/USA
Lord Thomson of Monifieth 1989 - 1990 BBC/UK
Pilar Miro 1988 RTV/Spain
Jean Autin 1986 - 1987 ORTF/France
Miklos Szinetar 1985 RTV/Hungary
Eric Jurgens 1984 NOS/Netherlands
Robert Wangermee 1982 - 1983 RTV/Belgium
Karl Gunter von Hase 1981 ZDF/Germany
Richard A. O’Leary 1980 ABC/Australia
Jacqueline Baudrier 1979 Radio France/France
Charles Curran 1977 - 1978 BBC/UK - President EBU/UK
Werner Hess 1976 ARD/Germany
Stelio Molo 1975 SSR/Switzerland
Emil Shuttnhelm 1974 NOS/Netherlands
Ivko Pustisek 1973 RTV/Yugoslavia
Robert Wangermee 1972 RTV/Belgium
Marcel Bezençon 1970 - 1971 SSR/Switzerland
J. B. Broeksz 1969 EBU
Marcel Bezençon 1968 SSR/Switzerland
J. B. Dupont 1966 - 1967 ORTF/France
J. B. Broeksz 1964 - 1965 EBU
Robert Bordaz 1962 - 1963 RTV Française/France
Marcel Bezençon 1961 SSR/Switzerland
Raymond Janot 1960 Radio-Télévision Française/France
Frans Hoosemann 1958 - 1959 Institut Belge de Radiodif./Belgium
Olof Rydbeck 1957 Swedish Radio/Sweden
Marcel Bezençon 1956 SSR/Switzerland
Seymour Siegel 1955 NAEB/USA
Marcel Bezençon 1954 SSR/Switzerland
Antonio Eca De Peiroz 1953 Radio Portugal/Portugal
Theo Fleischmann 1952 Belgian Radio/Belgium
Marcel Bezençon 1950 - 1951 SSR/Switzerland
Giuseppe Spataro 1949 RAI/Italy

Secretary Generals
Chiara Longo Bifano 2022 -
Annalisa Bruchi 2020 - 2021
Karina Laterza 2017 - 2019
Vittorio Argento 2016
Paolo Morawski 2014 - 2015
Giovanna Milella 2009 - 2013
Marcella Sansoni 2008
Guido Paglia - Pier Luigi Malesani 2006 - 2007
Alessandro Feroldi 2004 - 2005
Carlo Sartori 1999 - 2003
Francesco Paolo Mattioli 1998
Paolo Battistuzzi 1994 - 1997
Piergiorgio Branzi 1988 - 1993
Alvise Zorzi 1976 - 1987
Mario Motta 1971 - 1975
Gian Franco Zaffrani 1948 - 1970

Locations
2022 Bari 2021 Milano
2020 Roma 2019 Roma 2018 Capri 2017 Milano 2016 Lampedusa 2015 Torino 2014 Torino 2013 Torino 2012 Torino 2011 Torino 2010 Torino
2009 Torino 2008 Cagliari 2007 Verona 2006 Venezia 2005 Milano 2004 Catania - Taormina 2003 Catania - Siracusa 2002 Palermo - Agrigento 2001 Bologna - Reggio Emilia 2000 Bologna - Rimini
1999 Firenze - Siena 1998 Assisi 1997 Ravenna 1996 Napoli 1995 Bologna 1994 Torino 1993 Roma 1992 Parma 1991 Urbino - Pesaro 1990 Palermo
1989 Perugia 1988 Capri 1987 Vicenza 1986 Lucca 1985 Cagliari 1984 Trieste 1983 Capri 1982 Venezia 1981 Siena
1980 Riva del Garda 1979 Lecce 1978 Milano 1977 Venezia 1976 Bologna 1975 Firenze 1974 Firenze 1973 Venezia 1972 Torino 1971 Venezia 1970 Firenze
1969 Mantova 1968 Roma 1967 Ravenna 1966 Palermo 1965 Firenze 1964 Genova 1963 Napoli 1962 Verona 1961 Pisa 1960 Trieste
1959 Sorrento 1958 Venezia 1957 Taormina 1956 Rimini 1955 Perugia 1954 Firenze 1953 Palermo 1952 Milano 1951 Napoli 1950 Torino
1949 Venezia 1948 Capri

CONTACTS:
Email: info.prixitalia@rai.it
Rai - Prix Italia, Via Monte Santo 52, 00195 Rome, Italy

Rai - Radiotelevisione Italiana Spa
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