History

The Rose d’Or, the festival for entertainment television programming, was created in 1961 by Marcel Bezançon to help a select group of national broadcasters to fill the gaps in their summer schedules with inexpensive, good quality programmes.

Marcel Bezançon’s idea was simple: Why don’t we put together a really good international variety programme in Switzerland, then swap it for productions from other countries within the framework of a competition?

It was thus, on 27 May 1961 in Montreux, Switzerland, that the BBC was awarded the first ever Rose d’Or Award for the Black and White Minstrel Show.

Since the swinging sixties, the list of stars awarded prizes at the Rose d’Or tells the story of entertainment television. The Rose d’Or Festival gave the whole range of light entertainment international prominence - from circuses and skating shows 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, The Simpsons, Mr. Bean, Nigel Kennedy, Kurt Browning, Shirley Maclaine … the list is vast.

As the festival grew, programme swaps ceased to be viable and the innovative concept of the Film Kiosk was born. This idea – widely copied since then – 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 for the onscreen 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 venues for promoting music and variety specials or launching new entertainment formats. In the 21st century, most of the biggest international format hits were launched at the Rose d’Or – Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Idol, Test the Nation, The Apprentice, Weakest Link – the list goes on.

In 2009, the Swiss multinational media company Ringier brought the Rose d’Or under its wings and will take 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.