The Rose d'Or Festival in Lucerne is one of the world's most important international entertainment television festivals founded in 1961 in Montreux. Today television professionals, producers, managers of private and public television stations and production company heads from 40 countries participate annually. Since its inception, the Rose d’Or Festival has been an important networking platform and a marketplace for ideas. The highlight of the Rose d'Or Festival is the glittering Awards Ceremony, in which the Golden Roses for best television entertainment programmes and formats are presented. With these coveted Awards the Rose d'Or Festival recognises originality, quality and creativity, and sets the standard for entertainment television.
From 1961 to present day
The Rose d’Or, international festival for entertainment television, was created in 1961 by Marcel Bezençon, then General Director Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG-SSR). Its aim was to help European public broadcasters to fill the gaps in their summer schedules with cost effective, good quality programmes. In 2004 the Festival moved from Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne.
Marcel Bezençon’s idea was simple: Why not put together a really good international variety programme in Switzerland, then swap it for productions from other countries within the framework of a competition?
And so on 27th May 1961 in Montreux, the BBC was awarded the first ever Golden Rose for the Black and White Minstrel Show.
Since the swinging sixties, the story of entertainment television can be read in the list of stars and shows presented with awards at the Rose d’Or. The Rose d’Or Festival gave the whole range of light entertainment international prominence - from circus performances to comedy specials, game shows to cartoons, opera to rock’n’roll.
The winners speak for themselves – Barbara Streisand, The Muppet Show, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Liza Minelli, Benny Hill, Monty Python, Cirque du Soleil, Julie Andrews, Mr Bean, Nigel Kennedy, Kurt Browning, Shirley Maclaine, and the list goes on.
As the festival grew, the programme-swap format ceased to be viable and the innovative concept of the video Kiosk was born. This idea – widely copied since – rapidly turned the Rose d’Or into one of the world’s most important entertainment programme markets. With more than 40 countries participating each year, the festival is now a unique meeting place for the on-screen entertainment community, and attracts leading figures from the industry, providing a unique opportunity for discussion, debate and behind-the-scenes deal making.
It is also one of the most important platforms for promoting music and variety specials and launching new entertainment formats. In the 21st century, most of the biggest international format hits came into prominence and gained international recognition at the Rose d’Or – Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Idol, Test the Nation, The Apprentice and Weakest Link to name but a few.
In 2009, the Swiss multinational media company Ringier took the Rose d’Or under its wing and brought the festival into its 50th anniversary. Ringier is committed to further raising the profile of the Rose d’Or as a highlight of the entertainment industry calendar.
From 1961 to present day
The Rose d’Or, international festival for entertainment television, was created in 1961 by Marcel Bezençon, then General Director Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG-SSR). Its aim was to help European public broadcasters to fill the gaps in their summer schedules with cost effective, good quality programmes. In 2004 the Festival moved from Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne.
Marcel Bezençon’s idea was simple: Why not put together a really good international variety programme in Switzerland, then swap it for productions from other countries within the framework of a competition?
And so on 27th May 1961 in Montreux, the BBC was awarded the first ever Golden Rose for the Black and White Minstrel Show.
Since the swinging sixties, the story of entertainment television can be read in the list of stars and shows presented with awards at the Rose d’Or. The Rose d’Or Festival gave the whole range of light entertainment international prominence - from circus performances to comedy specials, game shows to cartoons, opera to rock’n’roll.
The winners speak for themselves – Barbara Streisand, The Muppet Show, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Liza Minelli, Benny Hill, Monty Python, Cirque du Soleil, Julie Andrews, Mr Bean, Nigel Kennedy, Kurt Browning, Shirley Maclaine, and the list goes on.
As the festival grew, the programme-swap format ceased to be viable and the innovative concept of the video Kiosk was born. This idea – widely copied since – rapidly turned the Rose d’Or into one of the world’s most important entertainment programme markets. With more than 40 countries participating each year, the festival is now a unique meeting place for the on-screen entertainment community, and attracts leading figures from the industry, providing a unique opportunity for discussion, debate and behind-the-scenes deal making.
It is also one of the most important platforms for promoting music and variety specials and launching new entertainment formats. In the 21st century, most of the biggest international format hits came into prominence and gained international recognition at the Rose d’Or – Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Idol, Test the Nation, The Apprentice and Weakest Link to name but a few.
In 2009, the Swiss multinational media company Ringier took the Rose d’Or under its wing and brought the festival into its 50th anniversary. Ringier is committed to further raising the profile of the Rose d’Or as a highlight of the entertainment industry calendar.
(info@rosedor.ch)
