Rai ProduzioneTv

Beside the ordinary part relating to the production and broadcasting of the programming of the Networks and Departments, the TV Production activity in 2010 guaranteed the production and television coverage of important events, such as big international sports events, prestigious productions broadcast all over the world. Investments continued for the switchover to digital and there has been an increase in the number of specialised channels. All these activities were tackled with the aim of optimising internal resources and rationalising costs.

Particular events included:

• the Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 10th edition of the Winter Paralympics. The TV Production technical teams ensured the high-tech filming and broadcasting of the major sporting events from Canada. About 7 hours of sport every day, split between RaiDue, RaiTre and Rai SportPiù in HD and 16:9 formats.

• the World Cup in South Africa (11 June/11 July). The 25 most important World Cup matches and the final phases were broadcast on RaiUno. The broadcasting offering also included a high definition (HD) channel, which is available to viewers also on the satellite platform Tivù Sat, on channel 101, thanks to an experimental agreement between Rai and Telespazio and Eutelsat. We should also remember the technical set-up for the Fifa Fan Festival of Piazza di Siena, a space within which the programme Notti Mondiali was broadcast on RaiUno.

• Volleyball World Championships (24 September/10 October). A considerable amount of technical support was supplied to the company which, in its capacity as Host Broadcaster, transmitted the signal of the international event. Ten cameras were positioned around the volleyball court, with filming in 16:9, a particularly advanced replay system to see the most exciting stages of the game again, with careful positioning of microphones to offer extremely sophisticated audio recordings. This was broadcast through RaiSport 1 and RaiSport 2, with a total of 42 matches (broadcasting 4 matches on each day of play: two live at 5.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m. and two recorded, one at 11.20 p.m. and the other the following morning at 10.00 a.m.).

• Rigoletto Le vie della musica (4/5 September), live all around the world. An impressive production lasting 11 weeks and using 3 sets. Giuseppe Verdi's homonymous opera was transposed live in HD and 16:9 for spectacular vision by viewers with new screens, broadcast with the new Eurovision music, customised with the new Rai logo.

• The launch of the new specialised channels, which particularly involved the CPTV (TV production centre) of Turin.

As regards ordinary activity, the return of the Naples CPTV to production for prime time should be mentioned, with the programme Ti lascio una canzone by RaiUno, made at the Auditorium. In terms of technical investments, new projects have been launched, and the technological adaptations begun in previous years he continued.

With regard to the News area, relating to the renewal of the Tg2, the development of the Department's digitalisation continued. The 'integrated production system' is being installed and this is a system which reconfigures and optimises work flows and allows the presentation of the offering on various platforms.

At the Production Centres and Offices, work has continued on the introduction of new acquisition standards and videorecording in High Definition (HD), based on a removable optic disk (Blu-Ray). As regards the plan for renewal of the light satellite stations, 4 more light media have been purchased for the News, the aim being to strengthen Rai's presence throughout the territory and to optimise the production system. A mobile HD direction unit essential to the customisation of sporting events by RaiSport has been set up.

As regards infrastructure, Central Control in Rome is undergoing digitalisation, completely in HD and fully automatable. The project for the introduction of information technology in relation to the production processes is also being launched. This system will guarantee a general improvement in production processes, enabling a considerable reduction in costs relating to multimedia supports, insofar as it will allow the creation, processes, transportation and storage of audiovisual contents in the form of computer files.

For the regional distribution of RaiTre, the special project for digital broadcasting is in the completion stages. During 2010 these operations were completed in Sardinia, Trentino, Valle d'Aosta and Alto Adige and are now being completed in Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna and Liguria.