La7 turns twenty tomorrow. Much has passed since June 24, 2001 when the network took charge of Telemontecarlo, Fabio Fazio and Luciana Littizzetto and achieved very high ratings on opening night, anticipating a trend that would have brought many of the most important faces of Italian television to the broadcaster’s stable. . Such as Judd Lerner, Giuliano Ferrara, Piero Ciampretti and Daria Benardi. Then again Roberto Saviano, Serena Dandini, Sabina Guzzanti, Daniele Lutazzi and Maurizio Croza, even the exploits of Michele Santoro, with the famous episode of Public Service with Silvio Berlusconi as guest, and the confirmation of the news led by Enrico Mentana. Years of success but also of controversy and moments of economic crisis, recalls the network’s patron, Urbano Cairo, who took office on April 30, 2013, in an interview with the American News Agency (ANSA).
“I took the baton in the twelfth year of my life and it was a relay race that could end badly. La7 was losing 100 million a year and was technically broke. I had money to cover eleven months of losses, 88 million, and I immediately got down to business. The thing I am most proud of is being able to cure La7 without firing anyone and continuing to make more and more high quality TV followed by the audience with continuous enrichment of the program schedule.This is thanks to the fact that we have virtually eliminated waste and unproductive costs and have significantly reduced overhead costs as well as making the right choices Regarding programming.
In the front of the table, what’s wrong? “Some of the options were not very suitable or at least did not provide the assessments that were expected regarding the costs incurred. We kept the columns, such as Mentana with its news, The Unmissable Marathon, Gruber with the place of Otto and Mezzo electing the political debate. Even Formigli with Piazzapulita And his inquiries, Merlino and Panella are constantly growing and we have later included bandleaders and journalists like Floris in 2014 and Giletti in 2017, who have done really excellent results.Propaganda Live, along with Andrea Salerno became a network manager here too and had excellent results. And we re-launched Atlantide with Andrea Purgatori and Eden’s novelty with Licia Colò.” What is the best moment in these years? “The 2013 schedule show was a really cool event. My first time, it all started from there.” What interventions on the schedule for next season? “We are finalizing some aspects of the next schedule. Our program remains rich with all the current champions, but there are some that we are working on and there may be interesting news. In the summer, in the meantime, there will be In Onda with Concita de Gregorio. And David Barenzo, We may soon have other news.”
Will Massimo Guletti stay? “Giletti has a contract that expires on July 31. There is a very good relationship between us and he has done a very good job, in fact invented Sunday evening at La7. The will is to have him again next year, we will try to reach an agreement.” Will you open up to other types besides information? “We have most of the programs dedicated to information, for public service, but, for example with Propaganda Live, there is definitely a very interesting entertainment component. There is a desire to open up in this direction and check out the possible opportunities. In La7d with sports, volleyball, we are doing well, And opening up La7d to esports could be a way. What are the short-term prospects?” The network gained ratings in a period when public networks lost their share, due to over-the-top growth. We have a very large audience, every day 11 million viewers, which becomes 37 million a month. Really a meeting and discussion point. It is the memory of twenty years of great satisfaction.” Do you still think La7 deserves a share of the law? “It is indisputable that La7 provides a public service. I remember that during the pandemic we not only closed any programs but increased the time allotted for information to inform and reassure citizens. I think it would be right to take that into account and also give us a small share of the law that is still rich.” Do you think the government should do more for TV? “During the pandemic, TV has not received any kind of aid. An important sector such as television, which has an important impact on the economy, as well as through corporate communications on television, deserves more attention. It’s been a very tough year and a half and just as other sectors have taken up refreshments, it would be right that we also got subsidies. Films have a 40% tax credit, I don’t understand why there shouldn’t be the same interest in TV productions. To be a TV editor, a newspaper editor, or the president of Turin? “TV has always been a huge passion of mine. Since I went to study in the United States and became passionate about American television history and found parallels with the emerging Italian commercial television. So I started my collaboration with Berlusconi before I took off and set up my own business.” What prospects do you see for linear television? ? Will La7 live another twenty years?” I think so. Before general sects dominated strongly with very important numbers. Even today, they have a very large prime-time audience share of over 60%. In the past three years La7 has risen to positions, and for example Since 2018, we have always been the absolute 6th network in prime time, in addition to being the 2nd most viewed network on alumni value targets and high socioeconomic category” (ANSA).
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