San Marino RTV

San Marino RTV is a Sammarinese free-to-air television channel operated by Radiotelevisione della Repubblica di San Marino, the public broadcasting organization of the Republic of San Marino. As SMRTV's flagship television service, the channel combines domestic news, public-affairs coverage, entertainment and other programming produced for audiences in San Marino and the surrounding Italian media market. The channel began broadcasting on 28 February 1994, giving San Marino a dedicated television outlet within a media environment heavily influenced by nearby Italy. Its programming has generally emphasized locally relevant information and self-produced entertainment rather than functioning solely as a relay service for larger foreign broadcasters. The service also operates a teletext offering known as San Marino Video, extending its information role beyond scheduled television programming. San Marino RTV has an international profile disproportionate to the size of its domestic market because of its role in the Eurovision Song Contest. Through SMRTV, San Marino joined the contest in 2008 and became responsible for selecting and presenting the country's entries. The broadcaster returned to the competition in 2011 after missing the 2009 and 2010 contests. Its Eurovision participation has included recurring collaborations with performers from outside San Marino and has produced several appearances in the grand final, including Valentina Monetta's 2014 entry, Serhat's 2019 entry and Senhit's 2021 entry featuring Flo Rida. Gabry Ponte qualified for the 2025 final with “Tutta L'Italia.” From 2022, San Marino RTV used the national selection format Una Voce per San Marino to choose its Eurovision representative. The selection final was held at Teatro Nuovo in Dogana, and the broadcaster confirmed the format for 2024 as well. In 2025, the event was renamed the San Marino Song Contest. This selection activity has helped the channel function not only as a domestic broadcaster but also as a promoter of music events and a national cultural brand. The channel is a member of the European Broadcasting Union and is also associated with the Italian television syndication platform K2. Its role is therefore both national and cross-border: it serves San Marino's public broadcasting system while participating in European television and music institutions. Between 2011 and 2013, the channel used the on-air brand SMtv San Marino before returning to the San Marino RTV identity. It remains active as the principal television channel of SMRTV.

San Marino RTV began broadcasting on 28 February 1994 as the principal television channel of San Marino's public broadcasting organization, Radiotelevisione della Repubblica di San Marino. Its creation gave the small republic a dedicated domestic television outlet at a time when viewers in San Marino were also closely exposed to Italian broadcasting. The channel developed a schedule centered on news bulletins, public information and entertainment produced for or connected with the Sammarinese audience. The service operates within SMRTV rather than as an independent commercial broadcaster. Its programming identity has therefore been shaped by public-service responsibilities and by the practical limits of a small national media market. In addition to conventional television programming, San Marino RTV provides the San Marino Video teletext service. The channel also participates in wider European broadcasting structures through membership in the European Broadcasting Union and maintains a relationship with the Italian television syndication platform K2. The channel briefly used the brand SMtv San Marino from 2011 to 2013. Outside that period, San Marino RTV has remained the principal identity associated with SMRTV's television output. Its domestic role includes news and self-produced entertainment, while its international visibility is largely connected to San Marino's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. San Marino debuted in Eurovision in 2008 with Miodio and finished last in the first semi-final. After not participating in 2009 and 2010, SMRTV announced San Marino's return for 2011. The broadcaster subsequently built a continuing Eurovision presence, with Valentina Monetta reaching the grand final in 2014 with “Maybe,” Serhat reaching it in 2019 with “Say Na Na Na,” and Senhit reaching it in 2021 with “Adrenalina,” featuring Flo Rida. The contest has provided San Marino RTV with a platform far beyond its domestic market and has involved performers with substantial international profiles. Beginning in 2022, the broadcaster organized the Una Voce per San Marino selection format to choose its Eurovision representative. Its final was staged at Teatro Nuovo in Dogana. SMRTV confirmed the continuation of the format for 2024, reinforcing the channel's role as an organizer and promoter of a nationally branded music event. In 2025, the selection was renamed San Marino Song Contest. That edition selected Gabry Ponte, whose song “Tutta L'Italia” qualified for the Eurovision final. San Marino RTV therefore combines the functions of a national public television channel, a producer of domestic programming and a representative institution in European broadcasting. Although its home market is small, its Eurovision involvement and cross-border media relationships have made it one of San Marino's most visible cultural and media brands.

• 2025

  National final renamed

  [1]San Marino RTV (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The Eurovision selection was renamed San Marino Song Contest; Gabry Ponte subsequently qualified for the Eurovision final.

• 2022

  Una Voce per San Marino introduced

  [1]San Marino RTV (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The broadcaster used Una Voce per San Marino as its Eurovision national selection format.

• 2014

  First Eurovision grand-final qualification

  [1]San Marino RTV (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  Valentina Monetta advanced to the Eurovision grand final with “Maybe.”

• 2011

  Eurovision participation resumes

  [1]San Marino RTV (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  SMRTV announced San Marino's return to Eurovision after the country did not participate in 2009 and 2010.

• 2008

  San Marino debuts at Eurovision

  [1]San Marino RTV (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  Through SMRTV, San Marino entered the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, represented by Miodio.

• 1994

  Television channel launches

  [1]San Marino RTV (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  San Marino RTV began broadcasting on 28 February as the flagship television service of SMRTV.

A public-service television channel representing San Marino through domestic information, locally produced entertainment and participation in European broadcasting and music events.

• Free-to-air television channel · 1994

  San Marino RTV

  The flagship television channel of SMRTV. Its schedule includes news bulletins, public-interest information and self-produced entertainment programming aimed primarily at San Marino and the surrounding Italian-speaking audience.

• Teletext service

  San Marino Video

  A teletext information service associated with San Marino RTV, extending the broadcaster's delivery of news and other text-based information beyond its scheduled television programs.

• 2025San Marino Song Contest

  San Marino

  SMRTV renamed its Eurovision national-final format from Una Voce per San Marino to San Marino Song Contest.

  Outcome. Gabry Ponte qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest final with “Tutta L'Italia.”

  Source
• 2022Una Voce per San Marino

  San Marino

  SMRTV introduced a national selection event to choose San Marino's Eurovision Song Contest representative, with the final held at Teatro Nuovo in Dogana.

  Outcome. The format became the broadcaster's established Eurovision selection mechanism and was retained for 2023 and 2024.

  Source

• 2025

  Rename the Eurovision selection eventStrategy

  Background

  SMRTV had used the Una Voce per San Marino identity for its national selection since 2022.

  Action taken

  The broadcaster renamed the event San Marino Song Contest.

  Aftermath

  Gabry Ponte qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest final with the selected song “Tutta L'Italia.”

  Source

• 2022

  Adopt a dedicated Eurovision national finalOther

  Background

  The broadcaster needed a recurring public mechanism for selecting San Marino's Eurovision entry.

  Action taken

  SMRTV launched the Una Voce per San Marino selection format, with its final held in Dogana.

  Aftermath

  The format was continued for subsequent contests and later renamed San Marino Song Contest.

  Source

• 2011

  Resume Eurovision participationStrategy

  Background

  San Marino had debuted in 2008 but did not participate in the 2009 and 2010 contests.

  Action taken

  SMRTV announced that San Marino would return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011.

  Aftermath

  Eurovision became a recurring source of international visibility for the broadcaster and the country.

  Source

1. 1San Marino RTV (TV channel)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2San Marino RTV official websitesanmarinortv.sm