RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. is Italy's national public broadcasting company, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
RAI operates a large number of television channels and radio stations, broadcasting via digital terrestrial transmission and from several satellite and IPTV platforms. It is the biggest country broadcaster and competes with Mediaset, Telecom Italia Media, and Sky Italia – as well as commercial radio networks. RAI has a relatively high television audience share of 33.8%.
RAI's broadcasts are also received in neighboring countries, including Albania, Croatia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Slovenia, Vatican City, and southern Switzerland.
Half of RAI's revenues come from broadcast receiving licence fees, the rest from the sale of advertising time.
In 1950, RAI became one of the 23 founding broadcasting organizations of the European Broadcasting Union.
|