The Prix Italia is the oldest and most prestigious International Radio, Television and Web competition. It awards prizes for quality productions in the fields of drama, documentaries, the performing arts (television) and music (radio).

The Prix Italia was founded by RAI in Capri in 1948 and the year 2007 will see its 59th edition. It has been the guest of all the most important Italian cities, a fact which has greatly contributed to its extraordinary International prestige. The Prix Italia's roll of honour includes the names of the writers, directors and producers who make up the history of international television. Among the innumerable personalities who, in the course of the years, have entered their works: writers like Jean Anouilh, Riccardo Bacchelli, Heinrich Böll, Bertholt Brecht, Italo Calvino, Jean Cocteau, Eduardo De Filippo, Marguerite Duras, Friedrich Dürrenmat, Umberto Eco, Max Frisch, John Osborne, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Françoise Sagan; directors such as David Attenborough, Ermanno Olmi, Sidney Pollack, Francesco Rosi, Roberto Rossellini, John Schlesinger, Andrej Wajda, Krzystof Zanussi. Among the winners are equally illustrious figures: Samuel Beckett, Ingmar Bergman, Peter Brook, René Clair, Federico Fellini, Werner Herzog, Peter Greenway, Eugène Ionesco, Kean Loach, Harold Pinter, Dylan Thomas.

The Prix Italia's partners and permanent members are made up of 90 public and private Radio and Television companies, representing 40 countries from the five continents. Only Prix members can enter programmes in competition. The organisational and decision-making structure is unique among the many international prizes and festivals. In fact, the member organisations delegates meet twice a year in the General Assembly to take strategic decisions and elect the President (who for 2007 is Ms. Caroline Thomson, representative of BBC, the largest English network).

The competition is held each year in the second half of September, accompanied by a series of major cultural events and performances. Hundreds of high-ranking representatives from the worlds broadcasters attend: directors, producers, writers, as well as a considerable number of journalists. RAI ensures wide radio and TV coverage on its channels programmes news bulletins and the show which accompanies the prize-giving ceremony. Prix Italia is particularly attentive to relations with the local area, widely promoting all events and providing full information for both the general public and special interest groups. During the Prix Italia, RAI presents its major previews of its programmes, with the participation of their stars, who answer questions from the public.