At a press conference presenting the fourth series of "X Factor", Rai 2 director Massimo Liofredi announced that the winner of the competition "might" advance to represent Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011, rather than participate in the Sanremo Music Festival, like in previous years. On 2 December 2010, it was confirmed that Italy would return to the Eurovision Song Contest having last participated in 1997, but it was later announced that the Italian representative would be chosen through an internal selection among contestants of the Sanremo Music Festival 2011.