RTL 102.5 originated in Bergamo in 1975 as (
"Lombardy Radio Broadcasting"). Lorenzo Suraci, the current president, took it over in 1988 to advertise his
Capriccio discothèque in Arcene, near Bergamo. Rapidly RTL's signal was extended in the whole North of Italy. Then, Suraci tested the national isofrequency to make RTL receivable in the whole of Italy on the same frequency, 102.5 MHz. In 1990 it became one of the 14 Italian national networks. It has been the first private Italian radio station creating its own editorial structure, now directed by Luigi Tornari. The headquarters are in
Cologno Monzese, in the first building in Europe created especially for radio. RTL 102.5 also has an office in Rome, in via Virginio Orsini, near the Piazza del Popolo, which houses part of the editorial staff, recording rooms and the studio from which programs like
Onorevole DJ and ''Chi c'è c'è, chi non c'è non parla'' are broadcast.
Music & Media reported in April, 1994, that RTL 102.5 was revamping its broadcasting schedule to be more risky. In July, 1995,
Billboard rated RTL 102.5 in their Top 10 Italian private radio networks with a daily audience of 3.29 million.
Billboard reported in June, 1996, that RTL 102.5 had been more focused on
Adult contemporary music in the last year and 50% of their music had been from Italian acts and 50% had been from international acts. In March, 1997, RTL 102.5's managing director, Lorenzo Suraci, denied allegations from the government of
payola by Italy's record companies and radio stations. In December, 2008, Suraci dismissed complaints that RTL 102.5 did not play enough songs by Italian record labels. RTL 102.5 radio also owns a
music television wing,
RTL 102.5 TV. == Presenters ==