1984 in Italian television

Events

RAI

Private channel

• The two Italian associations of private radios and televisions merges in the FRT.19 January : Silvio Berlusconi is sentenced to two months by the magistrate of Genoa, for violating the law that limits private TV to the local area; 24 July the magistrate of Rome issues a similar sentence against both Canale 5 and Rete 4. Those rulings has no practical effect.2 April : birth of the musical channel Videomusic.30 May: for the first time, Canale 5 broadcasts the Telegatto award ceremony, hosted by Mike Bongiorno.27 August: Mondadori sold Rete 4 to Fininvest for 150 billion liras, because the heavy indebtedness; Rete 4 becomes a channel aimed at the female audience. Silvio Berlusconi obtains the virtual monopoly of Italian private television. 16 October: following an appeal by an association of local TV stations, the magistrates of Rome, Turin and Pescara seized the repeaters allowing Fininvest to broadcast on a national scale. The company responds by ceasing broadcasts in the three regions and mobilizing the public, street demonstrations are also held, with the slogan "We want the Smurfs back".20 October: Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, with an emergency decree, authorizes the networks Finivest to broadcast on a national scale. To sign the decree, Craxi imnterrumps an official visit in England.28 November: Italian parliament rejects the Berlusconi decree. A new blackout of the Fininvest networks in Rome and Turin follows. On 6 December, the decree is reiterated by the government, and approved by parliament on the 12th.

Awards

Debuts

RAI

Variety

News and educational

Finivest

Variety

News and educational

Serial

Other private channels

Shows of the year

Rai

Drama

• Kaos – by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, from the Sicilian tales of Luigi Pirandello, distributed also in a theatrical version; last role together for Franco and Ciccio.Notti e nebbie – by Marco Tullio Giordana, from the Carlo Castellaneta’s novel, with Umberto Orsini and Eleonora Giorgi; in 2 parts. It's the tragic story, set in the Milan of 1944, of a RSI police officer, fanatic fascist and cruel persecutor of the partisans, but not entirely devoid of remorses and humanity.  Nucleo zero by Carlo Lizzani, from Luce D’Eramo's novel, with Patrck Bauchau and Giacomo Piperno; drama about left-wing terrorism.Mio figlio non sa leggere – by Franco Giraldi, from the memoir by Ugo Pirro abnout his dyslexic son, with Omero Antonutti, Mismy Farmer and Itaco Nardulli.Western di cose nostre  - by Pino Passalaqua, from a Leonardo Sciascia’s tale, script by Andrea Camilleri, with Domenico Modugno; in 2 parts. In 1916, an unsuspected apothecary carries on a personal revenge, putting two mafia gangs against each other.Chi ha visto Daniela? – mystery by Vittorio Barino, with Fiorenza Marcheggiani and Gianni Mantesi; coproduction with RTSI.I veleni dei Gonzaga – by Vittorio De Sisti, with Luca Barbareschi and Daniela Poggi.Raffaello by Anna Zanoli, with Antonio Fattorini in the title role and Anne Canovas

Miniseries

Period dramas

• Cuore – by Luigi Comencini, from the Edmondo De Amicis’ novel, script by Suso Cecchi D’Amico, with Johnny Dorelli, Giuliana De Sio, Eduardo De Filippo and the ten years old Carlo Calenda as protagonist; in 6 episodes. Comencini gives a very personal version of the book, criticizing its sentimentalism and nationalism and adding a frame story, where the little students, grown up, have to face the tragedy of the First World War.
• Piccolo mondo moderno by Daniele D’Anza and Il santo by Gianluigi Calderone, both from Antonio Fogazzaro's novels and with Aldo Reggiani and Lorenza Guerrieri.La bella Otero – by Josè Maria Sanchez, with Angela Molina in the title role, Mismy Farmer and Harvey Keitel; 4 episodes.

  Dramedy

• ... e la vita continua by Dino Risi, with Virna Lisi, Jean-Pierre Marielle and Vittorio Mezzogiorno; 8 chapters. Saga of a Lombard upper-class family, from 1945 onwards, airing American serials such as Dallas.
• Voglia di volare by Pier Giuseppe Murgia, with Gianni Morandi and Claude Jade; 4 episodes.Quei trentasei gradini, by Luigi Perelli, written by Ennio De Concini, with Ferruccio Amendola and Maria Fiore; the life of a Roman building's tenants, seen through the eyes of the doorman; 6 episodes.

Serials

Cartoons

Variety

News and educational

• Sheridan Indagine sui sentimenti – enquiry, in form of detective story, about the sentiments in the modern society, from the various forms of  love to the sport and music passions. Final role for Ubaldo Lay who plays, for the last time, the Lieutenant Sheridan, become a private eye.
• Effetto video 8 – Professione reporter magazine by Aldo Bruno and Milena Gabanelli. The program uses an innovative method for Italy; every episode is realized by a free-lance journalist, working alone with a portable video camera.
• Action now – by Brando Quillici, series about the American "High sensations seekers".    
• Riso in bianco, Nanni Moretti atlòeta di sè stesso – by Marco Colli ; documentary about Nanni Moretti and the making of Sweet body of Bianca, through the fiction of an interview with a Japanese journalist.

Fininvest

Miniseries

Variety

• Quo vadiz? – ideated by Maurizio Nichetti, Gabriele Salvatores and Silvio Berlusconi himself and hosted by Nichetti and Sydney Rome; first major Fininvest production, it is a variety show with a demented humor inspired by ancient Rome.
• La luna nel pozzo – quiz hosted by Domenico Modugno and then by Marco Clumbro, because the singer's health troubles; the winning contestant can make his old dream come true.
• Autostop – quiz hosted by Marco Columbro.
• Bene, bravi, bis, with Franco and Ciccio and Edwige Fenech.

News and educational

Othe private channels

Ending this year

• ''Test, gioco per conoscersi''

Deaths