This is a list of Italian television related events from 1966. Events The RAI technical commission chooses, for the color telecasts, the German system PAL , preferring it to the French SECAM and the American NTSC. Nevertheless, for political and commercial reasons, the definitive choice of PAL and the effective start of the color programs will be delayed till 1977. January 6: Gianni Morandi wins La prova del nove (1965 edition of Canzonissima) with Non son degno di te. January 29: Domenico Modugno and Gigliola Cinquetti win the 1966 Sanremo festival with Dio come ti amo. The final evening of the contest is the most seen TV show of the year, with 21.300.000 viewers. February 7.: Rai Sudtirol, the RAI channel for the German speaking minority living in South Tyrol, begins broadcasting on the frequencies of RAI 2. Because of tensions between the Italian government and South-Tyrolean nationalists, Silvius Magnago, president of the Bolzano province, refuses to inaugurate the new channel with a greeting to the viewers. December 24.: in Naples, start of the first Italian cable station, Telediffusione Italiana Telenapoli. It broadcasts advertising announcements to television sets placed in supermarkets and public places. According to a Radiocorriere’s poll, the best shows of the year for the critics are Le inchieste del commissario Maigret, Francesco d’Assisi and Per Firenze. The audience votes instead choose the matches of the 1966 FIFA Worl cup, the film I Confess (broadcast as a tribute to the Montgomery Clift's death) and Dario Niccodemi's plays La nemica and La maestrina. Debuts Variety Settevoci (seven voices) – four seasons, This mix of quiz and music show, originally thought as a filler for the Sunday afternoon, gets a huge success and leads to popularity the novice host Pippo Baudo and many young singers. National Trophy Rapallo Davoli – six seasons. Musical contest, reserved to singers and groups of beat music. Actualities and documentaries Orizzonti della scienza e della tecnica (Science and technique horizons) – seven seasons, show of popular science. Television shows Dramas La fantarca (The fantastic ark) – by Vittorio Cottafavi; libretto by Giuseppe Berto (from his novel); music by Roman Vlad. It's a rare example of opera realized expressly for the television. The legend of the Noah's ark is transposed into a dystopic future, but leaving a lot of space for humor and satire. Miniseries Madame Curie – by Guglielmo Morandi, with Ileana Ghione in the