Italy's state TV journalists strike over government interference

By Crispian Balmer

ROME (Reuters) - Journalists at Italian state broadcaster RAI staged a one-day strike on Monday, accusing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government of stifling free speech.

Heavy-handed political influence over RAI is a long-standing issue in Italy, but the journalists' union Usigrai says the situation has worsened since Meloni took office in late 2022.

"We have always fought against every effort to gag freedom of speech, but I want to make it plain that what has been happening in recent months is unprecedented," said Vittorio di Trapani, a RAI journalist and head of the Italian National Press Federation (FNSI).

RAI dismissed the complaints, accusing unions of staging a politically motivated strike and saying that the company had not imposed any censorship on its staff.

Despite the strike, the main lunch-time news shows on RAI's two main TV channels went on air much as normal, while its 24 news channel RAI24 carried largely pre-recorded programming.

The question of censorship hit the headlines last month when a monologue by writer Antonio Scurati, timed to coincide with commemorations marking the end of Fascist rule in 1943, was abruptly cancelled by RAI.

Scurati, who has written historical novels about Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, had used the piece to criticise Meloni's party for not repudiating its post-Fascist roots.

LOWER PRESS FREEDOM RANKING

RAI officials and Meloni denied censoring the monologue. Looking to quell the row, the prime minister subsequently published the tract on her own Facebook page.

Italy's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, drawn up by media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), fell this year to 46th place, five lower than in 2023, amid concerns over growing government influence on media and a recent slew of legal suits brought by politicians against journalists.

RAI has the biggest news operation in Italy, producing multiple news shows through the day for television, radio and internet platforms.

It also lies at the heart of Italy's spoils system, and successive governments have handed out top jobs there to reward loyal proteges. Its board members, appointed by parliament and the government, are picked according to their party affiliation.

Proposals to make the broadcaster more independent have been discussed for years but have never achieved results.

Since Meloni took office, several high profile presenters have left RAI lamenting government intrusion, and critics have expressed alarm over legislation put forward by her ruling coalition to increase sanctions for defamation.

"This isn't just a problem for RAI. It is a problem of press freedom in the country," Daniele Macheda, head of the Usigrai union, told reporters on Monday.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)