High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Rai 3 is part of RAI, the Italian government broadcasting agency, which owns other channels, such as Rai 1 and Rai 2 (amongst others). Rai 3 first started transmissions on December 15, 1979. In the eighties it was under the predominant political influence of the Italian Communist Party. Its programs are typically oriented to information, rather than entertainment, and they look for a qualitative approach, instead of seeking higher TV ratings.