Vittorio Coco
Encyclopedia
Vittorio Coco is an Italian
and Canadian
journalist and politician. He has worked at CHIN
radio in Toronto
since 1973 and was for many years the host of an Italian-language morning program. Coco ran for the Italian Senate
in the 2006
and 2008
general elections.
, a small town near Rome
. He studied journalism in Rome and worked in print media after graduating.
He moved to Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
, in 1959 and intended to start an Italian-language newspaper in the city (at the time, he has noted, there were no Italian journals in Canada west of Winnipeg
). He instead became involved in radio, overseeing Italian-language programming at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
's CHFA
in Edmonton and broadcasting from Expo '67 in Montreal
.
radio in Toronto
in 1972 as its news director. Later in the same year, he became the debut host of "Wake-Up Italian Style," the station's Italian-language morning show. He celebrated his twenty-sixth year on the air in 1998, excepting a short period of time in the 1970s when he hosted an afternoon program. Under Coco's watch, "Wake-Up Italian Style" featured a combination of music and spoken-word content, including new hit material from Italy. Coco has also worked for "Festival Italiano di Johnny Lombardi
" program on CHIN-TV
.
in the 2006
and 2008
general elections in a division reserved for Italian citizens living in North American
and Central America
. He was a candidate of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats in 2006 and ran for its successor party, the Union of the Centre, in 2008. He was defeated on both occasions. Coco received credible support in Toronto in 2006, but did not poll well elsewhere.
Coco identifies as a Roman Catholic and has said he has always supported the Christian Democrats
and successor parties in Italian politics. He has served as the Union of the Centre's political secretary in Canada.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
journalist and politician. He has worked at CHIN
CHIN-FM
CHIN-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts multilingual programming at FM 100.7 in Toronto, Ontario. It should not be confused with FM 91.9, a rebroadcaster of AM sister station CHIN with a different programming schedule...
radio in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
since 1973 and was for many years the host of an Italian-language morning program. Coco ran for the Italian Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
in the 2006
Italian general election, 2006
In the Italian general election, 2006 for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy held on April 9 and April 10, 2006 the incumbent prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the center-right House of Freedoms, was narrowly defeated by Romano Prodi, leader of the center-left The...
and 2008
Italian general election, 2008
A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008 following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote, and the unsuccessful tentative...
general elections.
Early life and career
Coco was born in RoccagorgaRoccagorga
Roccagorga is a comune in the Province of Latina in the Italian region Lazio, located about 70 km southeast of Rome and about 20 km northeast of Latina. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 4,471 and an area of 24.0 km².Roccagorga borders the following municipalities:...
, a small town near Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He studied journalism in Rome and worked in print media after graduating.
He moved to Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, in 1959 and intended to start an Italian-language newspaper in the city (at the time, he has noted, there were no Italian journals in Canada west of Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
). He instead became involved in radio, overseeing Italian-language programming at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's CHFA
CHFA
CHFA may refer to:* California Housing Finance Agency* CHFA , a radio station licensed to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada...
in Edmonton and broadcasting from Expo '67 in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Toronto broadcaster
Coco joined CHINCHIN-FM
CHIN-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts multilingual programming at FM 100.7 in Toronto, Ontario. It should not be confused with FM 91.9, a rebroadcaster of AM sister station CHIN with a different programming schedule...
radio in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1972 as its news director. Later in the same year, he became the debut host of "Wake-Up Italian Style," the station's Italian-language morning show. He celebrated his twenty-sixth year on the air in 1998, excepting a short period of time in the 1970s when he hosted an afternoon program. Under Coco's watch, "Wake-Up Italian Style" featured a combination of music and spoken-word content, including new hit material from Italy. Coco has also worked for "Festival Italiano di Johnny Lombardi
Johnny Lombardi
Johnny Barbalinardo Lombardi, CM, O.Ont was a pioneer of multicultural broadcasting in Canada. He has received many decorations and honours....
" program on CHIN-TV
CHIN Radio/TV International
CHIN Radio/TV International is a Canadian radio and television broadcasting company, which owns and operates three radio stations and a television program production unit, all targeting multilingual communities...
.
Politician
Coco ran for the Italian SenateItalian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
in the 2006
2006 Italian Senate election, North and Central American division
The 2006 Italian general election was the first in the country's history in which Italian and dual citizens living outside the country could vote by postal ballot in international electoral districts...
and 2008
2008 Italian Senate election, North and Central American division
The 2008 Italian general election was the second in which Italian and dual citizens living outside the country could vote by postal ballot in international electoral districts...
general elections in a division reserved for Italian citizens living in North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. He was a candidate of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats in 2006 and ran for its successor party, the Union of the Centre, in 2008. He was defeated on both occasions. Coco received credible support in Toronto in 2006, but did not poll well elsewhere.
Coco identifies as a Roman Catholic and has said he has always supported the Christian Democrats
Christian Democracy (Italy)
Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic party in Italy. It was founded in 1943 as the ideological successor of the historical Italian People's Party, which had the same symbol, a crossed shield ....
and successor parties in Italian politics. He has served as the Union of the Centre's political secretary in Canada.