Municipality of Sanremo announces search for its new TV broadcast partner.
The City of Sanremo has published a tender for a partner to organise and broadcast the Italian Song Festival from 2026 to 2028. This follows the TAR Liguria ruling in December 2024 that declared the direct award of the festival to Rai illegal.
The tender is divided into two phases: a selective phase and a negotiating phase. In the selective phase, economic operators who are providers of national clear signal audiovisual media services, holders of a national generalist channel, and who have demonstrated the ability to organise major events will be invited to submit their projects. The deadline for submitting the project is 40 days from Wednesday, April 9.
During the negotiating phase, the final terms of the agreement with the chosen partner will be negotiated. The partner must recognise a fee of at least 6.5 million euros per year to the City. The partner selected for the negotiating phase must also pay a percentage not less than one percent on all revenues from advertising and the exploitation of the granted brands.
The tender includes a possible extension of up to two years. The partner's selection will be based on the analysis of the projects submitted, considering the artistic quality, suitability of the overall artistic proposal, ability to enhance the event, and alignment with the "Italian Song Festival" and "Sanremo Festival" brands.
The "Sanremo Festival" and "Italian Song Festival" are universally recognised as Italy's most important media event, capable each year of involving millions of people. The festival, which will take place from February 24 to 28, 2026, is a significant event in Italy's cultural calendar.
It is important to note that the tender must comply with the principles of competition. The Council of State has ruled against Rai's request for a stay, ensuring a fair and transparent process for all potential partners.
The Italian public broadcaster RAI had been selected as the organiser and broadcaster for the Sanremo Italian Song Festival for the 2026 to 2028 editions, following an agreement signed after intense negotiations, which ended the automatic broadcast rights dispute and secured the festival's presence in Sanremo. However, the TAR Liguria ruling ordered a tender to find a new partner for the festival.
In conclusion, the tender for the Italian Song Festival from 2026 to 2028 presents a unique opportunity for a partner to be involved in one of Italy's most significant cultural events. The process will be fair, transparent, and based on artistic quality and the ability to enhance the festival. Interested parties have until April 9 to submit their projects.
