It was founded in Legnano in 1977 by Renzo Villa,[1] a clerk of the municipality of Varese, who became a self made TV publisher.
Several very famous Italian TV personalities showman worked or started their career at Antennatre such as Ettore Andenna, Massimo Boldi and Teo Teocoli, Amanda Lear, Renato Rascel, Giorgio Faletti, Walter Chiari, Carmen Russo, Wilma De Angelis and Cino Tortorella worked at Antenna3 as director and writer.
Other important Italian television directors, such as Beppe Recchia and Paolo Beldì, and Davide Rampello worked in Antenna3 as well.
For example the Italian songwriter Roberto Vecchioni, who was educated in classical literature and was a high school teacher, had an afternoon show that aided students on air with their Latin and Ancient Greek homework.
After his death in 2010, Renzo Villa's family, former employees, and friends, founded a charity association in his memory.