The Rose d'Or (or Golden Rose) is a highly prestigious television award, given annually since 1961 at the Festival Rose d'Or in spring each year. Since 2004, the festival is held in Lucerne, Switzerland. Before the festival was held in Montreux, Switzerland, thus the Golden Rose of Montreux.
The Awards are focused on entertainment-based programming, thus excluding dramas, documentaries and other genres usually more celebrated at other awards ceremonies.
There are currently eight different categories at the festival, from 2004 each having its own Golden Rose award. Previously, only one overall programme won the Golden Rose, with other individual category winners being awarded Silver and Bronze Roses. The categories are: Comedy, Sitcom, Soap (Popular Drama), Reality Show, Variety, Music, Game Show, Arts & Specials. There are also individual prizes for Best Female & Male Comedian, Best Sitcom Actress & Actor, Best Soap Actress & Actor, Best Game Show Host. There is also a Press Prize for most innovative programme, and a Special Prize for best Arts & Specials programme. Each category is judged by a jury of international producers and broadcasters.
Being the only television festival to focus primarily on the entertainment section of the medium, it has become the prime focus and most important occasion for many of those working in that genre. Roughly forty countries are usually represented at the festival. As well as involving various programme screenings and conferences, the festival has also become an important marketplace, where broadcasters go to buy and sell entertainment programmes.
The festival was founded by Marcel Bezançon, who was inspired by the regular need of broadcasters to find programmes to fill their summer schedules with. He had the idea that Switzerland could produce an entertainment programme, which could then be swapped with programmes from other broadcasters around Europe and the world, each having a variety of programmes to then fill their schedules with. The festival was thus held in the spring to have programmes ready for broadcast in the summer, and the Golden Rose awards established as an extra incentive. The awards very quickly became an important part of European television culture, and Golden Rose winners usually receive much prestige and publicity in their home countries for achieving the feat.
