Italian public broadcaster Rai’s journalists strike over censorship row

The union representing some three-quarters of Italian public broadcaster Rai’s 2,000 radio and television journalists voiced complaints about editorial interference and working conditions, declaring a 24-hour strike on Monday.

”We would rather lose one or more days of pay than lose our freedom, convinced that the freedom and autonomy of public service are a value for all. And Rai belongs to everyone,” USIGRai said in a video statement.

The one-day strike is the latest protest by Italian journalists against what they say are threats to freedom of the press and expression in Italy — including criminal investigations of journalists and suspected episodes of censorship — all of which have spiked under the right-wing coalition government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Rai’s management responded to the union’s allegations in another video statement, accusing USIGRai of striking for “ideological and political reasons” that “have nothing to do with workers’ rights”, as well as “promoting fake news that generates damage to the company’s image”, and exposing the public service to political exploitation.

Rai has previously said it is working to transform itself into a modern digital media company and cannot make new hires. In a statement responding to the strike, it said Rai isn’t putting at risk any of the rights or jobs of current staff and is ”ever more committed to safeguarding the values of pluralism and freedom of expression.”

Rai’s other union, Unirai, has asked its 350 members to cover the shifts of those striking on Monday, even if that means coming in to work on their day off, the newspaper Domani reported. Unirai, whose formation was supported by Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, has been accused of links to Italy’s right wing and acting as its “Trojan Horse”.

Banning critics and slamming criticism

Monday’s press conference at the Foreign Press Association offices in Rome was attended by Rai 3’s Sigfrido Ranucci, Vittorio Di Trapani, president of the National Federation of the Italian Press, Daniele Macheda, secretary of USIGrai and Serena Bortone, presenter of the TV programme “Che sara”.

The latter was at the centre of a media storm last month after RAI management cancelled the scheduled appearance of high-profile writer Antonio Scurati. Scurati is the author of “M: Son of the Century,” a best-seller about the rise to power of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. 

The text was highly critical of Meloni, whose party, Fratelli d’Italia, or Brothers of Italy, traces its origins to Italy’s neo-fascist movement.

Scurati was due to perform a monologue ahead of Italy’s 25 April Liberation Day holiday.

Rai said the contract was cancelled for financial reasons. Meloni herself posted the text on her Facebook account, but she has also criticised Rai’s investigative reporting.

Meloni recently publicly attacked Rai over an investigative program about the migration deal she struck with Albania to build two migrant processing centres in the Western Balkan country. The deal has been criticised by left-wing opposition parties and human rights groups.

Italy’s press freedom score dips to ‘problematic’

The strike comes just days after the media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) downgraded Italy five notches in its annual index of press freedom. 

At 46 out of 180, Italy moved into the “problematic” category of countries alongside other EU members, Poland and Hungary.

RSF cited reports, among other things, of Antonio Angelucci, a politician from the Lega or the League party and a coalition partner in Meloni’s government, proposing to acquire Italian news agency AGI. 

Angelucci already controls three conservative daily newspapers. Last month, AGI’s journalists went on strike to protest the proposed sale from state-controlled ENI.

Two weeks ago, Rai television and radio journalists protested against company budget tightening, including hiring freezes, job elimination by attrition and staff reorganisation. They say the streamlining has the ultimate aim of ”reducing Rai to becoming the megaphone of the government”.

Journalists in Italy, including at Rai, have long lamented the use of threatened or real defamation lawsuits or criminal complaints by politicians, business people and others who are the subject of investigative reporting.