26 January:
Silvio Berlusconi announced through a pre-recorded television message, lasting nine minutes and sent to all the news programs of the national television networks, his entry into politics by leading the newly nascent Forza Italia, with which he ran for office in the
elections policies of that same year.
20 March: the
TG3 reporter
Ilaria Alpi and the cameramen
Miran Hrovatin were killed in an ambush in
Mogadiscio, while they were covering the operation
Restore Hope. Those responsible for the killing have yet to be identified. The killing is widely believed to have been due to Alpi's enquiries about the arms trade and toxic waste traffic.[1]
14 December - Re per una notte, a series hosted by
Gigi Sabani in which members of the public impersonated their favourite singers.
Stranamore (Strangelove) – reality show, hosted by
Alberto Castagna and Emanuela Foliero, Italian version of the Dutch All you need is love; 14 seasons. The host tours Italy in a camper, carrying love video-messages and trying to reconcile couples in crisis; the show, ravaged by critics for its blatant sentimentality, gets the same an extraordinary public success.[3]
L’approfondimento in casa Gnocchi (The deepening to Gnocchi's) – satirical show;
Gene Gnocchi (at his RAI debut) and his dazed family comment on the events of the week.[10]
Pickwick, del leggere e dello scrivere (PIckwick, about reading and writing) – magazine about books and literature, hosted by
Alessandro Baricco and Giovanna Zucconi.[14]