A new project, a new idea and a new mission for RAI International - or RaItalia as rumour has it the structure headed by Massimo Magliaro will be renamed in 2007. A six-person work group comprising representatives from RAI and the Italian premier's office are working on this new project. The RAI delegation is headed by Deputy Director General Giancarlo Leone, aided by Pierluigi Malesani and Deborah Bergamni.
The government delegation is headed by the chief of the Information and Publishing Department Paolo Peluffo. The group has already met twice (on October 13 and 24) and is expected to complete the project's outline by November, Cabinet Undersecretary Ricardo Franco Levi reported to parliament. Until now, RAI International has operated on the basis of two conventions with the Italian government, which officially expired in December 2005. The first, worth 18 million euros, dates back to 1962. This covers radio and requires it to produce 11,300 hours of short-band radio time.
The second convention, signed in 1975, is worth around 20 million euros and deals with TV. This requires around 700 hours of TV production (around two hours daily) nd 1,380 hours of radio production. The total of 38 million euros gross represents 40% of RAI Internationals' revenue. Soon, however, things will change. Sources have told the VELINO that the two conventions will be merged into a single one and will include radio and TV programs. The convention will also be worth more in financial terms, at over 40 million euros.
The government apparently plans to ask RAI International to abandon (or radically reduce) its short-wave radio transmissions and to reinvest the 18 million euros under the old convention in a better way. This will mean an end to the news in 26 languages (including Esperanto and Lithuanian) that RAI International broadcasts each day: 120 lines, totalling 15 minutes of daily news, which are translated and eventually adapted by the team to meet the needs of the country it is directed at. In the future, the news will be delivered in just five languages: Spanish, French, English, German and Arab. It will be broadcast via satellite or, for a while, short-wave radio. This should not have a massive impact in terms of employees.
Around 80 mother-tongue translators and newsreaders deal with the 26 newscasts, around 50% within RAI, who will be given other jobs within the company. There are several changes planned for the RaItalia program. The priority of the company's directors is ensuring that the satellite channel - currently not visible in Europe or the Mediterranean - can at least be watched all over Italy (possibly by asking to be represented by Sky).
There is also talk of two different channels for Rai International, one in Italian and the other in English. For the future, the program will draw on the best of the public service (RaiUno, RaiDue, RaiMed and so on), and will be structured by genre, with a particular focus on target markets: Italians abroad as well as foreigners enamoured of Italy.
Some 18 million euros will be saved from ending short-wave radio transmissions and the number of hours of self-produced programs will be boosted, particularly sport and news (there are rumours of blending with RaiNews 24 and RaiMed). An ad hoc programming schedule will also be studied devoted to the promotion of Italian culture in the world, which MPs elected in the foreign districts will help plan, on the basis they are in touch with the interests of local communities. (velino)
(Source: http://www.bclnews.it http://www.fmdx.it/ bdnews/HCDX)