Young, wild, and free? Rai and its industrial challenges for contemporary Italian teen content

In recent years, Italian public service broadcaster Rai has developed strategies to engage young audiences and maintain its relevance for these traditionally under-represented consumers, notably through the production and commissioning of accessible, dedicated scripted content. This article explores recent trends in Rai’s targeting of young audiences from a production and distribution standpoint. Drawing on in-depth industry interviews and industrial materials, it maps key strategies developed by Rai’s digital platform, RaiPlay, and traces the trajectories of three teen dramas (Mare fuori, Un professore, and Nudes), highlighting how the connection with young audiences is built through a stratified, contradictory yet productive process.