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🇮🇹 Italy /Culture & Society

Report director denies influence; team protests Rai rerun suspension

From ANSA · () Italian

Translated from Italian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Report's director Sigfrido Ranucci denies allegations that the investigative journalism program's work on wind energy was influenced by Lavitola.
  • Fratelli d'Italia has filed a complaint seeking clarification on the relationship between Lavitola and Report's investigations into renewable energy in Lazio.
  • The Report editorial team announced a campaign to protest Rai's decision to suspend summer reruns, calling it unprecedented censorship.

Sigfrido Ranucci, director of the Italian investigative journalism program Report, has vehemently denied claims that the show's investigations into the wind energy sector were compromised by an individual named Lavitola. Ranucci stated that no Report investigation has ever been influenced by Lavitola, a fact he asserts can be confirmed by all collaborators involved.

There is no Report investigation into wind energy conditioned by Lavitola. In general, there is no Report investigation conditioned by Lavitola. All collaborators who participated in the investigations can testify to this. Therefore, the complaint by Fratelli d'Italia is based on completely erroneous assumptions.

— Sigfrido RanucciDirector of Report, Sigfrido Ranucci, denying allegations of external influence on the program's investigations.

These statements come in response to a complaint filed by the political party Fratelli d'Italia. The party is urging magistrates to clarify the alleged ties between Lavitola and Report, particularly concerning Lavitola's purported business dealings in renewable energy projects within the Lazio region. Fratelli d'Italia believes the complaint is based on entirely erroneous assumptions.

We are a team heavily attacked, first with an attack, now with a suspension, but we do not stop: we continue to work with the same determination as always.

— Report editorial teamThe editorial team of Report expressing their resolve in the face of adversity.

Meanwhile, the editorial team of Report has announced a public initiative to protest Rai's decision to suspend the program's summer reruns. The team described the suspension as "unprecedented censorship" and a heavy blow, especially following a previous "attack" on Ranucci last October. They are urging viewers to watch a specific investigation on RaiPlay at the originally scheduled broadcast time and share photos using the hashtag #giulemanidareport (hands off Report).

Tonight, at 9:15 PM, the time we should have been on air on Rai, connect to RaiPlay and watch the investigation that should have been broadcast. Then take a photo in front of the screen (or of the screen) and post it on social media, tagging us and using the hashtag #giulemanidareport.

— Report editorial teamThe editorial team's call to action for viewers to support the program.

The Report team emphasized their continued determination to work despite these challenges, viewing the program as a valuable asset for informational freedom. They expressed gratitude for the solidarity shown by the Order of Journalists and the Usigrai (RAI's journalists' union) and are relying on their audience's support to fill the void left by the suspended broadcasts.

Tonight the Report team is not alone. Tonight Report is not on air: Rai has 'cautiously suspended' the summer reruns, pending clarification on the attack that 'we' suffered last October in the person of Sigfrido Ranucci. A decision that we do not share and that we consider unprecedented censorship.

— Report editorial teamThe editorial team's statement on Rai's decision to suspend reruns and their view of it as censorship.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ANSA in Italian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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