Paola Francesca Ferrari is an Italian journalist, television presenter, and politician. She has been active on RAI since the 1990s, hosting its main sports programs such as and 90º minuto.
Television career
Ferrari made her television debut in 1977 as a switchboard operator on ', hosted by Enzo Tortora. She was brought back for the second edition of the program. She then contributed as a sports journalist for the network in Milan, run by the Pauline Fathers, and wrote some articles on football for the magazine Intrepido. She performed some services for Domenica Sportiva on RAI in 1988, and was brought on with the company in 1992. In 1995 she joined on ', then switched to hosting Domenica Sportiva, from 1996 to 1999. In 1999, Ferrari moved to TG2 Costume e Società; from that year to 2002 she hosted the nightly news edition, and beginning in 2000 she hosted the 13th edition of TG2. In 2002–2003 she presented ', in partnership with. For the 2003–2004 season, she was the lead of 90º minuto, becoming the first woman to hold that role, communicating directly with a group of opinion leaders and male reporters. During the 2004 European Football Championship, she led the second evening of Rai 2's I figli di Eupalla, alongside Linus. She remained at 90º minuto for another season until the program ended along with Rai's rights to Serie A. In 2005, Ferrari participated as a competitor in the of Milly Carlucci's '. She came back on for the next season, this time as a judge of the children's tournament. In the 2005–2006 season she returned to Domenica Sportiva with and led the Dribbling Mondiale show for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Since 12 September 2006 she has been hosting Rai 2's Martedì Champions, a program that recounts and analyzes Tuesday's Champions League matches. Beginning in 2008 she also hosted Un mercoledì da campioni, another Rai program dedicated to the Champions League, as well as Play Off Champions. In 2010 she presented from the Piazza di Siena in Rome, along with Giampiero Galeazzi and Maurizio Costanzo, in conjunction with 's Notti mondiali from Johannesburg. Also in 2010 she returned to Domenica Sportiva. From 8 June to 1 July 2012, she hosted Stadio Europa on Rai 1 and Rai 3. In September 2014, after having been replaced by colleague on Domenica Sportiva, the media's attention was drawn to her dissatisfaction, as she entered into controversy with the new host and with Marco Mazzocchi. In 2015–2016 Ferrari returned to 90º minuto after 10 years, this time with Marco Mazzocchi. The two also led the pre- and post-match shows for the 2016 European Football Championship. Since August she has continued to host 90º minuto, this time with and.
In 2014, Ferrari began her entrepreneurial career with a 33% stake in her friend Daniela Santanchè's Visibilia Pubblicità, a company active in the magazine publishing field through Visibilia Editore, of which she holds 5.4% and is vice president. In 2016 she left the company due to friction with Santanchè over management.
Personal life
On 10 April 1997, Ferrari married , former managing director of Telecom Italia and current head of The Carlyle Group in Italy. The couple have had two children, Alessandro and Virginia. In May 2014, Ferrari reported that she had undergone surgery to remove an infiltrating nodular carcinoma from her face.
Awards and recognition
In 1999, Ferrari received the journalism award.
In 2004, she received the Ussi-Coni Award for best sports journalist.
In 2006, she was the first woman to win the Brera Prize for sports journalists, a recognition created with the aim of promoting the teachings and memory of renowned journalist Gianni Brera who died in 1992.
In 2013, she was appointed an Honorary Member of the Centro Studi Culturale, a cultural project aimed at education in legality and active citizenship on the theme of integration.
In 2016, she received the Moige Prize from the Chamber of Deputies and the Polizia di Stato.
