Italia 1 online - Television live

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Italia 1 is an Italian free-to-air television channel belonging to the Mediaset network of MFE - MediaForEurope. Launched on 3 January 1982, it is one of the country's historic commercial channels, addressing a young adult and adult audience with a mix of American series, animation, documentaries and sport.

From Rusconi to the Mediaset Era

Italia 1 was founded by publisher Edilio Rusconi as a network built on twenty regional stations - led by Milan's Antenna Nord and Rome's Quinta Rete - with Lillo Tombolini as executive director and Gabriella Golia as its first presenter. The high cost of the transmission infrastructure and the aggressive advertising policy of Berlusconi's rival Canale 5 forced Rusconi to sell after only a few months: Fininvest acquired the majority in 1982, folding the channel into what is today MFE - MediaForEurope.

Bim Bum Bam and Youth Programming

The channel built its identity on children's and youth programming: the Bim Bum Bam block introduced generations of Italian children to cartoons such as The Smurfs, Snorks, Inspector Gadget, Count Duckula, Batman: The Animated Series and Alvin and the Chipmunks, while classic American imports - Star Trek, Kojak, Falcon Crest, Mork and Mindy - shaped its prime time in the 1980s, together with motoring programmes such as Andrea De Adamich's Grand Prix.

Today's Schedule

The modern Italia 1 remains a home of American drama in Italy, with the crime franchises CSI - Scena del crimine and NCIS - Unità Anticrimine in the evening line-up alongside Chicago Fire and The Closer, the classic detectives Kojak and Columbo, and animated prime time with I Simpson (The Simpsons). Documentaries such as L'Egitto dei faraoni and science programmes like Ma cosa ci dice il cervello complete the schedule.

Audience

Italia 1 has ranked among Italy's leading channels for decades, with a daily share that exceeded 10 percent in 2008 and stands at around 4-5 percent in recent years. Laura Casarotto has directed the channel since 2014, after channel heads that included Carlo Freccero and Giorgio Gori.

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