by Nicolò Moricci
Marcello Foa, journalist, is this your first time in the Marche?
“No, the Marche is a beautiful region. Every time, I am fascinated by your land for two reasons: on the one hand its beauty, almost more of the hinterland than of the coast, which is incredibly fascinating. And then I am struck by the entrepreneurs from the Marche, by their ability and extraordinary ability to combine openness to the world – because today, if you want to shine, you aim for the international market – while maintaining a strong attachment to the territory and a relationship of loyalty towards the employees when they enter SMEs they feel like family. Here, the human aspect makes the difference.”
Do you know Ancona?
“I’ve been there several times. I hope to enjoy it in the summer.” What evening will May 17th be?
“The intention is to enhance the entrepreneurial excellence that Azimut has supported for some time. It is a great opportunity, I am sensitive to initiatives that enhance local realities in a world that is instead going a bit in the other direction. Italy is made up of great riches not always known”.
As a company manager, what do you think of the economic and entrepreneurial fabric of the Marche region?
“It is the entrepreneurial spirit that makes the difference. There is magic in our country whereby in some areas (Marche, Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia) a propensity for entrepreneurship is encouraged (or arises on its own). Which is particularly dynamic here and brilliant.”
What is the main node? “That of succession. When an entrepreneur retires, we need to be sure that new young people from the Marche region want to be entrepreneurs. This is the challenge that the Marche region must also take up.”
You founded the European Journalism Observatory. What is the state of health of the Italian and European press today? “It’s not positive. The media have fewer and fewer economic resources at their disposal, because their function has changed. And this has weakened journalism: if the editors are not rich, journalists cannot carry out their role with courage and the right independence. But I am also critical of mainstream information because it has progressively softened its main function too much to become the spreader of an interpretation of the world that becomes conventional. Let’s not forget that journalism is about debate and questioning. Today, a general conformism on issues prevails important and a particular press becomes ideological and partisan, distancing the public from the newspapers and damaging its historical usefulness. And in a democracy this is bad.” Do you like Rai today?
“Yes, important decisions were made quickly (the putting in order of the real estate assets, the creation of a new headquarters in Milan, etc.). Then there is the part of the contents, of the stars. And here there is a great news: Nove is no longer a small TV, but a TV backed by an American giant that invests heavily in Italy. And the Rai-Mediaset duopoly is being replaced by a third player that is changing the television sector. An unprecedented challenge.” .
