Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest

Infobox Eurovision country
Name = Italy

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Member station = Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI)
National selection event = Festival della canzone italiana
ESC apps = 37
ESC first = 1956
ESC last (to date) = 1996
ESC best = 1st, 1964, 1990
ESC worst = Last, 1966
Website = [http://www.eurofestival.tv Italian Eurovision Website]
EBU page = http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=67&country=1

Italy participated in the Eurovision Song Contest frequently from 1956 to 1997. It was one of only seven countries that competed at the very first contest. It has not participated since 1997 because of the lack of interest from Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI).

Absences

Italy has withdrawn from Eurovision a number of times. The first withdrawal was in 1981, when RAI stated that interest had diminshed in the country. [cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/index/main?page=66&event=297|title=Histroy - Eurovision Song Contest 1981|publisher="Eurovision.tv"|accessdate=2008-09-17] This absence continued through the following year, before Italy returned in 1983.

Italy again withdrew in 1986 when RAI decided not to enter the contest.

From 1994 to 1996 Italy withdrew again, with RAI saying that a lack of interest in RAI and the Italian population the reasons for their withdrawal and absence. Italy returned in 1997, before withdrawing again with the same reasons. Italy has yet to make a follow-up entry.

A new interest?

However, in 2008 two noted Italian musicians, Vince Tempera and Eurovision winner Toto Cutugno have expressed their sorrow in Italy's absence from the contest and call for a return of the country. [cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/10782|title=Italy: Maestro Tempera calls Italy back to Eurovision|publisher="ESCToday"|author=Kasapoglou, Yiorgos|date=2008-03-07|accessdate=2008-03-07] [cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news/history?id=1143|title=Cutugno: "Italy's absence unfortunate"|publisher="Eurovision.tv"|author=Bakkar, Sieste|date=2008-06-16|accessdate=2008-06-16]

Contestants from the 2008 contest, strating from the winner Dima Bilan will appear on Italian show Carramba! Che fortuna, hosted by Raffaella Carrà on Rai Uno. Whether this is an initiative by Carrà, which presented three shows in TVE concerning the event, to try to bring Eurovision back to Italy is unknown, but Sietse Bakker, Manager Communications & PR of the Eurovision Song Contest, reiliterated that "Italy is still very much welcome to take part in the competition." [cite web|url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/12307|title=Italy: Eurovision stars guests on Rai Uno|last=Hondal|first=Víctor |date=2008-09-19|publisher="ESCToday"|accessdate=2008-09-20] [cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=1367|title=Eurovision stars going to Italy!|last=Siim|first=Jarmo |date=2008-09-17|publisher="Eurovision.tv"|accessdate=2008-09-20] [cite web|url=http://www.oikotimes.com/v2/index.php?file=articles&id=4105|title=Rai Uno announce Eurovision show tonight|last=Solloso|first=Jaime |date=2008-09-18|publisher="Oikotimes"|accessdate=2008-09-20]

TV censorship of the Eurovision Song Contest 1974

Italy refused to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 on RAI because of a song sung by Gigliola Cinquetti which coincided with the intense political campaigning for the 1974 Italian referendum on divorce which was held a month later in May. Despite the Eurovision contest taking place more than a month before the planned vote and despite Cinquetti going as far as taking second place, Italian censors refused to allow the contest and song to be shown or heard. RAI censors felt that the song, which was titled "Sì" ("Yes"), and which contained [http://www.diggiloo.net/?1974it lyrics] constantly repeating the aforementioned word could be accused of being subliminal messaging and a form of propaganda to influence the Italian voting public to vote 'yes' in the referendum. The song thus remained censored on most Italian state TV and radio stations for over a month.

Contestants

Source: [cite web|url=http://www.eurovisioncovers.co.uk/xtita.htm|title=Points to and from Iraly (1975-1997)|publisher="EurovisionRecords"|accessdate=2008-09-27]

Hostings

References

External links

* [http://www.eurovision.tv/ Eurovision official website]
* [http://www.eurofestival.tv Italian Eurovision Website]