Tele Costa Smeralda

Tele Costa Smeralda (often abbreviated TCS) is an Italian regional television channel serving Sardinia. It was founded on 17 December 1979 in Cannigione, in the Gallura region, by Roman entrepreneur Cesare Peruzzi. From its inception the channel used the on-screen acronym TCS. Peruzzi had also founded a private radio station, Radio Internazionale, in Olbia in December 1978. In its early years, Tele Costa Smeralda was affiliated with various national circuits. In 1981 it carried programmes from the Jolly circuit, including the Mille Maglie Show hosted by Claudio Lippi. On 3 January 1982 it switched to the Italia 1 network, broadcasting its programming in Sardinia for several years, including after the network passed from Rusconi to Fininvest management on 1 January 1983. In 1983 the channel was acquired by Sardinian entrepreneur Nicola Grauso and registered to Olivia Grauso, Nicola's sister, and her husband Igino Cocco. The company headquarters moved from Cannigione to Cagliari, at viale Trieste 124, on 27 October 1983. From 1 March 1985 it joined the Euro TV syndication, and from 4 October 1987 it became part of the Italia 7 circuit, then controlled by Fininvest, and later Europa 7. From the early 2000s, after leaving the Europa 7 network, it changed its logo and no longer tied itself to any network, limiting itself to broadcasting programmes from 24ore.tv and TV2000 in certain time slots. Since then, the channel's main productions have been entrusted to Cagliari journalist Antonello Lai (who died in 2024 from heart disease, after moving to the new regional broadcaster UNO4 in 2022). These include a news programme, TCS Notizie (renamed TG Magazine in 2021 according to the group's editorial strategies), the investigative programme Zona Franca (on air since 1995), and the programmes Dedalo: alla scoperta della Sardegna and Viaggio nell'isola del mistero, both created and hosted by journalist and writer Marcello Polastri, alongside documentaries aimed at promoting the territory, local musical shows and teleshopping. After the move to Cagliari, the headquarters were at viale Trieste until 1989, then from 1990 to 2018 at the production centre in Viale Marconi (where sister channel Videolina also operated until 2011), and finally, after Alessandra Addari took over editorial direction and the consequent 2019 rebranding, at the studios in Piazza L'Unione Sarda, also belonging to the sister channel. With programming largely dedicated to documentaries and in-depth reports aimed at enhancing the island, and with teleshopping hours reduced to a minimum, on 18 May 2025 the channel underwent a total graphic restyling (three years after the previous one on 17 September 2021), abandoning the historic on-screen acronym "TCS" for the full name "Tele Costa Smeralda". The news programme also underwent a graphic and content restyling, dedicated to lifestyle news, events and curiosities about the territory.

Tele Costa Smeralda was founded on 17 December 1979 in Cannigione, in Gallura, by Roman entrepreneur Cesare Peruzzi. From its birth the channel adopted the on-screen acronym TCS. Peruzzi had previously founded a private radio station, Radio Internazionale, in Olbia in December 1978. In 1981 the channel broadcast programmes from the national Jolly circuit and others such as the Mille Maglie Show, hosted by Claudio Lippi. On 3 January 1982 Telecostasmeralda switched to the national Italia 1 network, broadcasting its programming in Sardinia for several years, including after the network passed from Rusconi to Fininvest management on 1 January 1983. In 1983 it was acquired by Sardinian entrepreneur Nicola Grauso and registered to Olivia Grauso, Nicola's sister, and her husband Igino Cocco. The company headquarters were moved on 27 October from Cannigione to Cagliari, at viale Trieste 124. From 1 March 1985 it joined the Euro TV syndication, while from 4 October 1987 it became part of the Italia 7 circuit, then controlled by Fininvest, and later Europa 7. From the early 2000s, after leaving the Europa 7 network, it changed its logo and no longer tied itself to any network, limiting itself to broadcasting programmes from 24ore.tv and TV2000 in certain time slots. From that moment on, the channel's main productions were entrusted to Cagliari journalist Antonello Lai (who died in 2024 from heart disease, after moving to the new regional broadcaster UNO4 in 2022), and consist of a news programme, TCS Notizie (renamed TG Magazine in 2021 according to the group's editorial strategies), the investigative programme Zona Franca (on air since 1995), and the programmes Dedalo: alla scoperta della Sardegna and Viaggio nell'isola del mistero, both created and hosted by journalist and writer Marcello Polastri, alongside documentaries aimed at promoting the territory, local musical shows and teleshopping. After the move to Cagliari, the headquarters were at viale Trieste until 1989, then from 1990 to 2018 at the production centre in Viale Marconi (where sister channel Videolina also operated until 2011) and finally, after Alessandra Addari took over editorial direction and the consequent 2019 rebranding, at the studios in Piazza L'Unione Sarda, also belonging to the sister channel. With programming largely dedicated to documentaries and in-depth reports aimed at enhancing the island, and with teleshopping hours reduced to a minimum, on 18 May 2025 the channel underwent a total graphic restyling (three years after the previous one on 17 September 2021), abandoning the historic on-screen acronym "TCS" for the full name "Tele Costa Smeralda". The news programme also underwent a graphic and content restyling, dedicated to lifestyle news, events and curiosities about the territory.

• Founded in Cannigione, Gallura, by Cesare Peruzzi.

• Broadcast programmes from the Jolly circuit, including Mille Maglie Show.

• Switched to the Italia 1 network.

• Acquired by Nicola Grauso; headquarters moved to Cagliari on 27 October.

• Joined the Euro TV syndication.

• Became part of the Italia 7 circuit.

• Investigative programme Zona Franca began airing.

• Rebranding after Alessandra Addari became editorial director; moved to Piazza L'Unione Sarda studios.

• TCS Notizie renamed TG Magazine; graphic restyling on 17 September.

• Total graphic restyling; abandoned on-screen acronym TCS for full name Tele Costa Smeralda.

Regional television focused on Sardinian news, culture and territory promotion.

• TCS Notizie / TG Magazine

  Main news programme, renamed TG Magazine in 2021.

• Zona Franca

  Investigative programme on air since 1995.

• Dedalo: alla scoperta della Sardegna

  Programme created and hosted by Marcello Polastri.

• Viaggio nell'isola del mistero

  Programme created and hosted by Marcello Polastri.

1. 1TCS | TeleCostaSmeraldatelecostasmeralda.tv
2. 2Tele Costa Smeralda - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Tele Costa Smeralda - Wikipedia (Italian)it.wikipedia.org