Ranucci Attacks Report’s New Hosts: They Won Regional Newsroom Exams

Sigfrido Ranucci has turned his criticism of Report’s new presenters into an open public dispute with Daniele Piervincenzi. In a Facebook post, Ranucci said Rai had made a “mediocre” choice in assigning Piervincenzi and Giulia Presutti to lead Italy’s best-known investigative television program.

“

Mediocre is not your professionalism, which I do not question. Mediocre is the choice to put you in charge of the most important investigative program in the history of Italian television.

Piervincenzi had replied in an interview with Domani that he regretted Ranucci’s words but understood the situation he was in. He pointed to a Congo investigation about diplomat Luca Attanasio, saying Ranucci had first sent him to produce the report and then called him mediocre two months later.

“

I understand what psychological situation you are in now.

Ranucci answered that producing one report did not make anyone a presenter. He said the Congo assignment had been accepted because Piervincenzi had asked for it and needed work, adding that he still had “the romantic habit of helping anyone who asks.” Ranucci also cited Piervincenzi’s earlier presentation of Popolo Sovrano, which he said recorded performances ranging from 2.4% to 3.8% in spring 2019.

“

A report produced does not make anyone a presenter.

The dispute also draws on Ranucci’s long career at Rai. He said he joined the broadcaster 36 years ago, worked at Tg3 and Rainews, reported from the Balkans and pursued investigations including an international scoop on chemical weapons in Fallujah. He argued that Rai justified the new appointments by referring to a competition that was actually designed to fill staffing gaps in regional newsrooms, not to run a 160-minute prime-time investigative program. He also defended Report’s newsroom, saying its journalists had never spared anyone from scrutiny.

“

I still have the romantic habit of helping anyone who asks.