Italian pubcaster RAI has lined up longtime staffer Roberto Genovesi (pictured) to succeed Luca Milano as director of RAI Kids. Genovesi is set to take the reins on April 1, when Milano retires. 

His remit will include management of free-to-air TV channels RAI Yoyo and RAI Gulp, kids content on streamer RAI Play, and the production of live-action and animated content for the youth audience. 

A former journalist (like Milano), Genovesi has been in place as director of publishing house RAI Libri since 2023. But he was initially hired in 2005 as deputy head of RAI Kids, and he helped launch RAI Gulp (2007) and Rai Yoyo (2006) as part of that role. Genovesi is also the artistic director of RAI’s animation-focused Cartoons on the Bay event. 

Genovesi will inherit a job that plays a key part in supporting Italy’s kids TV production industry. RAI spends US$33 million per year on youth content (not including in-house productions) and is one of the main pillars of the country’s media industry, along with its 40% tax credit for international productions. Streaming platform RAI Play has also been growing. Milano told Kidscreen in September that it had 25 million users and is becoming increasingly important to the public broadcaster’s strategic vision and planning.