The Milanese urban region is the creative and productive heart of Italy’s communication and information system. The concentration of publishing and television companies, agencies, production centres, creative studios and training centres make Milan one of the capitals of communication in Europe.

In the province of Milan alone there are no fewer than 4,874 firms operating in the publishing and printing sector. There are 700 publishing houses proper, equivalent to over 20 per cent of the national total, including leading names operating internationally, such as RCS-Corriere della Sera, Arnoldo Mondadori editore, Hachette-Rusconi, Condé Nast Italia, Editoriale Domus and, among the others, strictly for books, Feltrinelli and Garzanti.

Another strong sector is television and audiovisual production. Led by media giant Mediaset, it also includes Sky Italia, la 7, the state-owned broadcaster RAI’s Lombardy production centre and, more recently, independent production companies and centers such as Magnolia, Endemol Italia, Made Entertainment and Clip Television. There are also several well-qualified local television broadcasters such as Telelombardia, Telenova and Telereporter. A significant number of audio-visual companies are concentrated in the Cologno Monzese – Cinisello Balsamo district, dominated by the Mediaset studios.

Milan is also the capital of private and commercial radio in Italy with Radio Deejay, Studio 105, Radio 101, Play Radio, Radio Capital, Radio Montecarlo and Popolare Network. Jobs in the Publishing, TV and audio-visual sector account for 25 per cent of the national total. The Milanese urban region also boasts a record number of advertising agencies, media centres and advertising space agencies.