Rai 1 () is an Italian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana. It is the company's flagship television channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream and generalist programming, usually aimed towards families, including TG1 news bulletins, prime time drama, cinema and entertainment, and major breaking news, sports and special events. It was launched on 3 January 1954 as the first regular television service in Italy. It was the only one until 4 November 1961, when RAI launched a second channel. The channel was initially referred to as "Programma Nazionale". It received other names, such as "Rete 1" and "Raiuno" until it adopted its current name "Rai 1". It has the highest viewership in Italy, and regularly competes with Mediaset's Canale 5. In the United Kingdom, it is available in free to air satellite broadcast from Hot Bird 13B. Early history The first set of programming for Rai 1 was almost completely educational with no advertising, except for the popular Carosello. Early shows were meant to teach a common language to a country torn apart by World War II. Shows like Non è mai troppo tardi... were simply shot in a classroom setting and meant to help with reconstruction. While televisions were not widely available nor affordable, those who could spend the money on them became community leaders and often invited the neighborhood to visit. Bars and cafés turned from places where men would meet to argue or play cards into miniature cinemas where arguments over what show to watch would break out. Women and children were also more accepted inside the bars due to the lack of men post-war and their need to enter working society. Churches also bought televisions are a means of drawing people to spend time as part of those communities. High-definition feed The channel launched an HDTV 1080i simulcast in September 2013, available nationwide on subscription-television providers and on DTT (channel 1). Previously, HD programs used to be aired on Rai HD. Logos Directors of Rai 1 Giuseppe Matteucci: 1954–1976 Mimmo Scarano: 1976–1979 Paolo Valmarana: 1980 Emmanuele Milano: 1980–1987 Giuseppe Rossini: 1987–1989 Carlo Fuscagni: 1989–1993 Nadio Delai: 1993–1994 Brando Giordani: 1994–1996 Giovanni Tantillo: 1996–1998 Agostino Saccà: 1998–2000, 2001–2002 Pier Luigi Celli: 2000 Maurizio Beretta: 2000–2001 Fabrizio Del Noce: 2002–2009 Mauro Mazza: 2009–2012 Giancarlo Leone: 2012–2016 Andrea Fabiano: 2016–2017 Angelo Teodoli: 2017–2018 Teresa De Santis: 2018–2020 Stefano Coletta: 2020–present