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{{More citations needed|date=June 2024}}
{{Expand Italian|topic=television|otherarticle=Rai 2|date=June 2024}}
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{{Short description|Italian TV channel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name            = Rai 2
| logo            = Rai 2 - Logo 2016.svg
| logo_size       = 150px
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2016
| launch_date     = {{start date and age|1961|11|4|df=y}}
| picture_format  = [[1080i]] [[HDTV]]<br />{{small|(downscaled to [[16:9]] [[576i]] for the [[SDTV]] feed)}}
| country         = [[Italy]]
| language        = Italian
| area            = Italy
| headquarters    = [[Rome]], Italy
| owner           = [[RAI]]
| former_names    = Secondo Programma (1961–1975)<br>Rete 2 (1975–1983)<br>Rai Due (1983–2010)
| sister_channels = [[Rai 1]]<br />[[Rai 3]]<br />[[Rai 4]]<br />[[Rai 5]]<br />[[Rai Gulp]]<br />[[Rai Movie]]<br />[[Rai News 24]]<br />[[Rai Premium]]<br />[[Rai Scuola]]<br />[[Rai Sport]]<br />[[Rai Storia]]<br />[[Rai Yoyo]]<br />[[Rai Ladinia]]<br />[[Rai Südtirol (TV channel)|Rai Südtirol]]<br />[[Rai Italia]]
| website         = {{url|rai.it/rai2}}
| terr_serv_1     = [[Digital terrestrial television]]
| terr_chan_1     = Channel 2 (HD)<br>Channel 502 (SD)
| online_serv_1   = '''RaiPlay'''
| online_chan_1   = [https://www.raiplay.it/dirette/rai2 Live Streaming] (Only in Italy)
}}

'''Rai 2''' is an Italian [[free-to-air]] television channel owned and operated by state-owned [[public broadcaster]] [[RAI|RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana]]. It is the company's second television channel, and is known for broadcasting ''[[TG2]]'' news bulletins, talk shows, reality television, drama series, sitcoms, cartoons and [[infotainment]]. In the 1980s it was known for its political affiliation to the [[Italian Socialist Party]], it has shifted recently its focus towards the youth, including in its schedule reality shows, entertainment, TV series, news, knowledge and sports.

The second [[Television in Italy|television channel in Italy]], it was launched on 4 November 1961, seven years after RAI's [[Rai 1|first channel]] was launched on 3 January 1954. The channel was initially referred to as "Secondo Programma". It received other names, such as "Rete 2" and "Rai Due" until it adopted its current name "Rai 2". It is a direct competitor to [[Mediaset]]'s [[Italia 1]]. It is also a state-owned channel like Rai 1.

==History==
===Birth and early years===
Rai announced the opening of its second television network in late 1960. Its early plans suggested that the network would open by the autumn of 1961. In the company's roadmap, it was planned that Rai would have 32 transmitters and 11 relayers carrying the service by year-end 1962.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1955/1955-10-10-BC.pdf |title=Broadcasting |date=5 December 1960 |accessdate=17 April 2024 |page=90}}</ref>

{{Quote|This evening for us, citizens of the monoscope, subjects of the antennas, inscribed in the roles of the telescreen, this is a great day. A few minutes ago, on the building in via Teulada, a 17-inch hand displayed a white ribbon. And then you all know it: the Second Channel was born. Do you want to see the newborn? Ssssht, be quiet, he's so small. But the doctor says he will turn out very well. Anyway, shall we take a look at it? [...] Have you seen? His fate is already sealed, he was born in the name of victory. And now tell me that I'm rhetorical, that I'm sentimental but I want to dedicate a toast to this second television son. Cheers Second Channel! We consider you a friend and even if, as in the dynasties of monarchs, you bear the name Canale Secondo, we wish you to be second to none and now, little new channel, good night.|4 November 1961: [[Mina (Italian singer)|Mina]]'s wishes to the newly created channel during the program ''Studio Uno''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8Gxw9-lC1I|title=Mina inaugura il Secondo Canale|website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>}}

Rai 2 begins its regular broadcasts on 4 November 1961 (after three months of experimental broadcasts, starting from 1 August that same year<ref>{{Cite news|title=Da oggi il «2º canale tv»|publisher=La Stampa|date=1 August 1961|page=4}}</ref>) under the name ''Secondo Programma'': the birth of Rai's second network was baptized by [[Aba Cercato]], who presented the inaugural broadcast of the nascent channel, dedicated to the [[First World War]], with the airing of [[Giuseppe Dessi]]'s miniseries ''[[La trincea]]'', given the coincidence of the launch of the channel with [[National Unity and Armed Forces Day]]; the birth of the new channel was also celebrated by [[Mina (Italian singer)|Mina]] during ''Studio Uno'', on the air, though, on [[Rai 1|Programma Nazionale]], the extant network.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ufficiostampa.rai.it/tvradiocorriere/20111028/rai2____i_miei_primi_cinquant_anni_.html|title=RAI2: "I MIEI PRIMI CINQUANT'ANNI"|date=22 October 2013|access-date=16 February 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022172907/http://www.ufficiostampa.rai.it/tvradiocorriere/20111028/rai2____i_miei_primi_cinquant_anni_.html|archive-date=22 October 2013}}</ref> Its first director was [[Angelo Romanò]], flanked by Fabio Borrelli and [[Pier Emilio Gennarini]].

Already from its inception, the channel had the aim of broadcasting alternative programming to that of Programma Nazionale, but for a long time, it was considered Rai's ''minor'' channel: its programmes had much more limited budgets compared to the first channel and furthermore, while the variety shows on the National Programme featured the great stars of the time as protagonists, on the Second Programme instead space was given to the new talents of entertainment who, once they achieved popularity, were "promoted" on the first channel. Some examples in this sense are ''Diamoci tu'' and ''Teatro 11''.

Precisely because of this dynamic and experimental vocation, the channel proved to be a true hotbed of talent, who would later become stars of the first magnitude on the television scene and beyond, and also of new ''formats''. Starting from 1965, ''[[Jeux Sans Frontières]]'' (where Italy would eventually take part in every edition) aroused interest throughout the country; furthermore in 1969 [[Renzo Arbore]] debuted with the variety show ''[[Speciale per voi]]'', one of the first television programmes aimed at a young audience with musical guests and studio debates; in 1967 another historic summer event began to be broadcast, the ''[[Festivalbar]]'', a musical event that became an event for young people. In 1970, ''[[Rischiatutto]]'' debuted, the famous game show by [[Mike Bongiorno]] which became a great success, so much so that the Rai top management decided to move it to the first channel for the 1972 and 1974 finals.

From its first day on air the channel aired ''Telegiornale del Secondo Programma'' (the current [[TG2]]), a brief news bulletin that aired after [[TG1|Telegiornale]] which had the aim of informing all those viewers who had missed the news on the first channel; this news programme, which included rapid investigations and quicker news, was produced in a different way than that of the Programma Nazionale.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Ugo Buzzolan|title=Il "2º canale" un mese dopo|publisher=La Stampa|date=3 December 1961|page=4}}</ref> [[Enzo Biagi]], already director of Telegiornale, debuted as a presenter in 1962 on Secondo Programma with ''[[RT Rotocalco Televisivo]]'', the first Italian topical magazine programme.

In these years, Secondo Programma aired TV series and miniseries produced for the channel (with a smaller budget than their counterparts on Programma Nazionale): these included ''Mastro Don Gesualdo'', ''L'ultima boheme'', ''Paura per Janet'' and the French miniseries ''[[Belphegor, or the Phantom of the Louvre]]'', this last one also repeated on the first channel. In the early 70s, it aired programs related to animation, such as ''Mille e una sera'' and ''GULP! - I Fumetti in TV''. Even the second channel reserved a small slot for advertising, in alternative to the first channel's ''[[Carosello]]'' with ''Intermezzo'', which aired until the end of 1976.

=== The Fichera management ===
With the 1975 RAI reforms, Secondo Programma, in 1976, was given the new name ''Rete 2'' (Network 2), and as consequence, Telegiornale del Secondo Programma became [[TG2]], separating itself from the extant Telegiornale brand (eventually becoming [[TG1]]) and becoming completely autonomous; the network and its newscast were given their own directives, assuring the contents they aired. The first network and TG2 directors were respectively [[Massimo Fichera]] (nominated on 2 December 1975)<ref>{{Cite news|author=Giuseppe Fedi|title=Finalmente le nomine dei dirigenti della Rai-tv|work=La Stampa|date=3 December 1975|pp=1-2}}</ref> and [[Andrea Barbato]] (nominated on 16 December), of Socialist expression.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Giuseppe Fedi|title=Eletti tutti i dirigenti della Rai-tv Adesso c'è da applicare la riforma|work=La Stampa|date=17 December 1975|p=2}}</ref>

The network declared itself more youthful and experimental in contrast to Rete 1: here, programs such as ''[[L'altra domenica]]'' came to be, seen as an alternative to ''[[Domenica in]]'', aired until the early 80s, and ''[[Buonasera con...]]'', program which featured the participation of showbiz personalities. Still under Fichera's management, other programs deemed controversial for its period were born, such as ''[[Odeon. Tutto quanto fa spettacolo|Odeon]]'', airing from 1976 to 1978, ''[[Stryx]],'' aired in 1978 and presented by [[Tony Renis]], ''[[Onda libera]]'' (noted under the name ''Televacca'') presented [[Roberto Benigni]] and the historic tourist travel program ''[[Sereno variabile]]'', presented by [[Osvaldo Bevilacqua]], which aired until 2019. In 1979, the channel airs the ''[[Processo per stupro]]''.

There was also ''Portobello'', created and hosted by Enzo Tortora, who returned to Rai after eight years of exile spent managing local stations. The program aired starting in May 1977; initially placed in late evening and broadcast in black and white, after a short time it became a successful program so much so that from the following autumn it was promoted to prime time and began to be broadcast in color (in reality it should have broadcast with this system from the first episode, so as to be officially the first color program on the channel, but the studios at the Milan fair from where it was broadcast were only equipped at the beginning of 1978).

== Logo ==
<gallery widths="130" heights="130">
File:Logo Raidue 1983.svg|<!--NON CANCELLARE QUESTO LOGO, È DIFFERENTE DA QUELLO INTRODOTTO NEL 1988.-->3 October 1983 - 22 October 2000
File:Rai22000.jpg|23 October 2000 - 18 May 2010
File:Rai 2 logo.svg|18 May 2010 - 12 September 2016
File:Rai 2 - Logo 2016.svg|In use since 12 September 2016
</gallery>

==Programmes==
{{Div col}}
*''[[TG2]]'' (Newscast)
*''[[Quelli che... il Calcio]]''
*''[[Castle (TV series)|Castle]]''
*''[[Charmed]]''
*''[[Desperate Housewives]]''
*''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]''
*''[[Eurovision Song Contest]]'' (semi-finals)
*''[[Junior Eurovision Song Contest]]'' (Soon)
*''[[The Voice of Italy]]''
*''[[Felicity (TV series)|Felicity]]''
*''[[JAG (TV series)|JAG]]''
*''[[Las Vegas (TV series)|Las Vegas]]''
*''[[Law & Order]]''
*''[[Life on Mars (American TV series)|Life on Mars]]''
*''[[FBI (TV series)|FBI]]''
*''[[FBI: International]]''
*''[[A Million Little Things]]''
*''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]''
*''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]''
*''[[NCIS: New Orleans]]''
*''[[Numbers (TV series)|NUMB3RS]]''
*''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|Once Upon a Time]]''
*''[[Past Life (TV series)|Past Life]]''
*''[[Popular (TV series)|Popular]]''
*''[[Primeval (TV series)|Primeval]]''
*''[[Six (TV series)|SIX (TV Series)]]''
*''[[Starsky and Hutch]]''
*''[[S.W.A.T. (2017 TV series)|S.W.A.T.]]''
*''[[Two and a Half Men]]''
*''[[UEFA Europa League]]''
*''[[UEFA Europa Conference League]]''
*''[[Bull (2016 TV series)|Bull]]''
*''[[Il collegio]]''
*''[[Pechino Express]]''
{{Div col end}}
===Cartoons===
{{Div col}}
* ''[[Baby Felix]]''
* ''[[Battle Spirits]]''
* ''[[Digimon]]'' 
* ''[[The PowerPuff Girls]]''
* ''[[Kid Paddle]]''
* ''[[Ashita no Nadja]]''
* ''[[Pretty Cure]]''
* ''[[Teletubbies]]''
* ''[[Monster Allergy]]''
* ''[[Chaotic (TV series)|Chaotic]]''
* ''[[NASCAR Racers]]'' (Gare Nascar)
* ''[[Inazuma Eleven]]''
* ''[[Franny's Feet]]''
* ''[[Felix the Cat]]''
* ''[[The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1980 TV series)|The Adventures of Tom Sawyer]]''
* ''[[Sammy & Co.]]''
* ''[[Tom (animated TV series)|Tom]]''
* ''[[Wheel Squad]]''
* ''[[Anne of Green Gables (Anime)|Anne of Green Gables]]''
* ''[[Vicky the Viking]]''
* ''[[Sea Princesses]]''
* ''[[Stellina (TV series)|Stellina]]''
* ''[[Loulou de Montmartre]]''
* ''[[Live-On CARDLIVER Kakeru]]''
* ''[[Code Lyoko]]'' ('''Note:''' the second, third and fourth series aired on ''[[Rai Gulp]]'')
* ''[[Winx Club]]''
* ''[[Monica and Friends]]'' (La Banda di Monica)
* ''[[Tom And Jerry]]'' (Anni 80s)
* {{ILL|Storie di donne al bivio|lt=|it|}}
{{Div col end}}

===Kids block===
* ''[[Random]]/ Cartoon Flakes '' (2005–2014)
* '' Go-Cart mattina '' (1997–2005)

== Past programmes ==

=== Documentaries ===

* ''{{ILL|Butterfly (2018 film)|lt=Butterfly|it|Butterfly (film 2018)}}'' (2020)<ref group="N">This film was broadcast on Rai 2 on November 27, 2020. The film was released in 2018. The documentary tells the story of [[Irma Testa]]. </ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2020 |title=Rai Documentari e Rai Cinema presentano "Butterfly" |url=https://www.rai.it/ufficiostampa/assets/template/us-articolo.html?ssiPath=/articoli/2020/11/Rai-Documentari-e-Rai-Cinema-presentano-Butterfly-a8bb11c2-dce6-4f36-8931-25f6d935d094-ssi.html |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=RAI Ufficio Stampa}}</ref>

==Former programming==

Until 1975, regular broadcasting was in [[monochrome|black-and-white]], with very few exceptions. In late 1975, then-called '''Rete 2''' began airing some new programmes in colour, then beginning semi-regular colour broadcasting during the autumn season (a few hours a week). [[Rai 1]] followed its "sister network" a few months later. Eventually, regular broadcasting in colour began on 1 February 1977.

* ''Rischiatutto'' – An hour-long Italian version of ''[[Jeopardy!]]'', presented by [[Mike Bongiorno]], aired on Thursday nights, from 5 February 1970, at 9:15&nbsp;pm (in 1972 season at 9:30&nbsp;pm). About 20 million viewers watched every episode of the show.<ref>http://www.eurojump.com/content/ventimilioni-il-gioved%C3%AC-di-mike{{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (Italian)</ref> The first one aired on Rai 2 to enter in the list of the Ten Most Watched Programmes on Italian TV during the year. The final two seasons (1973 and 1974) were aired on [[Rai 1]].
* ''Ondalibera'' (known popularly as '''Televacca''', ''Cow TV'') – An hour-long comedy and satirical programme presented by a very young [[Roberto Benigni]] in his television debut. In the show, the [[Tuscany|Tuscan]] peasant Mario Cioni (Benigni) presents a programme aired on the fictional local channel Televacca, in which its headquarters are based in a stable full of hay and animals. Speaking in a sometimes vulgar and desecrating manner, with a heavy Tuscan accent, Benigni improvised monologues and satirised society and the medium of television. The programme was co-hosted by the boor Monna ([[Carlo Monni]]) and his "daughter" Donatella, a stylish young woman reminiscent of [[Li'l Abner|Daisy Mae Yokum]].<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/DnBmyzkAPHQ Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150303060320/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnBmyzkAPHQ Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnBmyzkAPHQ| title = Roberto Benigni Onda Libera 1/5 | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Considered one of the most controversial programmes in Italian TV history, censored and interrupted after only four episodes despite being relatively successful, the programme first aired on 19 December 1976, airing on Sunday nights at 8:45 PM.<ref>The "opening theme" of the show, titled [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Knc8aUslmDw "La Marcia Degli Incazzati" (''Pissed Off Guys' March'')] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140120205009/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Knc8aUslmDw |date=20 January 2014 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=N}}

==External links==
* [http://www.rai.it/rai2 Official website] {{in lang|it}}
* {{facebook|Rai2ufficiale}}

{{RAI}}

{{Italian television stations}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1961]]
[[Category:RAI television channels|2]]
[[Category:Italian-language television stations]]