| Rai 2 | |
| Picture Format: | 1080i HDTV |
| Country: | Italy |
| Language: | Italian |
| Area: | Italy |
| Headquarters: | Rome, Italy |
| Owner: | RAI |
| Former Names: | Secondo Programma (1961–1975) Rete 2 (1975–1983) Rai Due (1983–2010) |
| Sister Channels: | Rai 1 Rai 3 Rai 4 Rai 5 Rai Gulp Rai Movie Rai News 24 Rai Premium Rai Scuola Rai Sport Rai Storia Rai Yoyo Rai Ladinia Rai Südtirol Rai Italia |
| Terr Serv 1: | Digital terrestrial television |
| Terr Chan 1: | Channel 2 (HD) Channel 502 (SD) |
| Online Serv 1: | RaiPlay |
| Online Chan 1: | Live Streaming (Only in Italy) |
Rai 2 is an Italian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana. It is the company's second television channel, and is known for broadcasting TG2 news bulletins, talk shows, reality television, drama series, sitcoms, cartoons and infotainment. In the 1980s it was known for its political affiliation to the Italian Socialist Party, it has shifted recently its focus towards the youth, including in its schedule reality shows, entertainment, TV series, news, knowledge and sports.
The second television channel in Italy, it was launched on 4 November 1961, seven years after RAI's first channel was launched on 3 January 1954. The channel was initially referred to as "Secondo Programma". It received other names, such as "Rete 2" and "Rai Due" until it adopted its current name "Rai 2". Its direct competitor to Mediaset's Italia 1. It is also a state-owned channel like Rai 1.
Rai announced the opening of its second television network in late 1960. Its early plans suggested that the network would open by Autumn 1961. In the company's roadmap, it was planned that Rai would have 32 transmitters and 11 relayers carrying the service by year-end 1962.[1]
Rai 2 begins its regular broadcasts on 4 November 1961 (after three months of experimental broadcasts, starting from 1 August that same year[2]) under the name Secondo Programma: the birth of Rai's second network was baptized by Aba Cercato, who presented the inaugural broadcast of the nascent channel, dedicated to the First World War, with the airing of Giuseppe Dessi's miniseries La trincea, given the coincidence of the launch of the channel with National Unity and Armed Forces Day; the birth of the new channel was also celebrated by Mina during Studio Uno, on the air, though, on Programma Nazionale, the extant network.[3] Its first director was Angelo Romanò, flanked by Fabio Borrelli and Pier Emilio Gennarini.
Already from its inception, the channel had the aim of broadcasting alternative programming to that of Programma Nazionale, but for a long time it was considered Rai's minor channel: its programs had much more limited budgets compared to the first channel and furthermore, while the variety shows on the National Program featured the great stars of the time as protagonists, on the Second Program instead space was given to the new talents of entertainment who, once they achieved popularity, were "promoted" on the first channel. Some examples in this sense are Diamoci tu and Teatro 11.
Precisely because of this dynamic and experimental vocation, the channel proved to be a true hotbed of talent, who would later become stars of the first magnitude on the television scene and beyond, and also of new formats. Starting from 1965, Jeux Sans Frontières (where Italy would eventually take part in every edition) which aroused interest throughout the country; furthermore in 1969 Renzo Arbore debuted with the variety show Speciale per voi, one of the first television programs aimed at a young audience with musical guests and studio debates; in 1967 another historic summer event began to be broadcast, the Festivalbar, a musical event that became an event for young people. In 1970, Rischiatutto debuted, the famous game show by Mike Bongiorno which became a great success, so much so that the Rai top management decided to move it to the first channel for the 1972 and 1974 finals.
From its first day on air the channel aired Telegiornale del Secondo Programma (the current TG2), a brief news bulletin that aired after Telegiornale which had the aim of informing all those viewers who had missed the news on the first channel; this news programme, which included rapid investigations and quicker news, was produced in a different way than that of the Programma Nazionale.[4] Enzo Biagi, already director of Telegiornale, debuted as a presenter in 1962 on Secondo Programma with RT Rotocalco Televisivo, the first Italian topical magazine program.
A few programmes include:
Until 1975 regular broadcasting was monochrome, with very few exceptions. Since late 1975, then called Rete 2 began airing some new shows in colour, then beginning semi-regular colour broadcasting during the autumn season (a few hours a week). Rai 1 followed its "sister network" a few months later. Eventually, regular broadcasting in colour began on 1 February 1977.