A new great chaos breaks out again over the Report affair. The Minister of Enterprises, Adolfo Urso, has instructed his lawyers to proceed against the fixer Valter Lavitola. Meanwhile, Aldo Grasso, from the columns of Corriere della Sera, also unloads on Ranucci. But let’s go in order.
Read more Giorgia Meloni, the «treatment» of Corriere della Sera? Don’t vote for her | Libero Quotidiano.it
Urso has instructed his lawyers to initiate legal actions against Lavitola regarding his «relations with the Report editorial staff, with particular reference to the interview with Gioele Magaldi (Grand Master of the Democratic Grand Orient, ed.) broadcast in the episode aired on December 10, 2023, in which it was claimed that Minister Urso adhered to international Freemasonry: an adherence immediately denied by Urso himself, without such denial being reported in the broadcast». «Now» the statement continues «it emerges that Lavitola, who, as stated by Magaldi himself, would belong to his same Masonic lodge, has long been a consultant for the program».
On the other hand, the Fnsi rallies around the host. «The government wants to get its hands on the sources of Rai journalists. Once again in clear contrast with the European Media Freedom Act» attacks president Vittorio Di Trapani. «The request by Minister Adolfo Urso to the head of the Public Service is worrying: behind the request to do a “check” on the sources, there is the old desire to violate the right/duty to guarantee the confidentiality of sources» adds the Fnsi president. «And it is even more disturbing since it comes from the person responsible for the ministry overseeing the Public Service.
To date» concludes Di Trapani «the Lavitola affair is proving to be a damage for Ranucci, while it has become a great opportunity for those who have long tried to get rid of Report, to put journalistic sources at risk and weaken investigative journalism».
Along the same lines is also the co-spokesperson of Avs, Angelo Bonelli who, regarding Urso’s request to verify the program’s sources, speaks of a «very serious fact» and a «direct attack on freedom of information». And from the pages of Corriere, Aldo Grasso openly criticizes the «Report method». «Ranucci and some Report journalists have sued subjects bound to secrecy for “revelation of official and investigative secrets”» writes the television critic.
«The paradox is evident: who knows if among those “subjects” there are not precisely some of those sources that over the years have fed the so-called “Report method”».
«There are private revelations that can be disclosed in the name of freedom of the press and others – those concerning Report – that must instead be protected by secrecy» Grasso continues.
«The problem arises when the relationship with the source becomes opaque and the method is confused with the objective. If to support a thesis borderline tools are systematically used, it is no longer clear whether it is the journalist who controls the source or the source who controls the journalist. It is precisely on this edge that the credibility of investigative journalism risks collapsing».
