The words of the CEO of Rai, Roberto Sergio, on Serena Bortone’s behavior on April 25th provoked indignant reactions from the Pd, Usigrai and the National Federation of the Italian Press (Fnsi). During the Innovation Festival of Sheet in Venice, Sergio made known his position on the Scurati case and, in particular, on the behavior of the host What will be who had reported the episode of the failure to air the writer’s monologue on April 25th. «Serena Bortone should have been fired for what she did and she was not fired. She was not punished”, said the CEO of the Viale Mazzini company, also denying the existence of a TeleMeloni. «The 11th of this month will represent your theses and we will evaluate, but certainly no employee of any company would be allowed to say things against the company in which you work – said Sergio-. She did this and she was not punished”, said the CEO, referring to the disciplinary proceedings against the journalist.
Scurati’s response
Among the most critical of the Rai executive was Scurati himself, the writer who was the protagonist of the April 25 incident. «I categorically deny the RAI CEO’s statement according to which I would not have participated in Serena Bortone’s program because “I wasn’t paid”», declared the author, «it is simply false. And it’s yet another denigrating statement towards me. No one has ever offered me to participate for free. I challenge him to provide proof to the contrary.” The writer’s note then continues harshly: «I will not go into the merits of the internal convulsions of a company evidently in disarray, whose managers exercise a ‘suffocating pressure’ on freedom of information (it is not my opinion, it is a quote from an official statement from the main journalists’ union of that same company). I would never have returned to the topic – and moreover it wasn’t me who denounced the censorship but once again a Rai journalist.” Scurati then reconstructs what happened, announcing that he is also considering legal protection: «The Rai3 program Chesarà commissioned me to write a monologue about a month in advance, ensuring that I had full freedom over form and content. The economic agreement, perfectly in line with that of the writers who preceded me, had already been closed for several days, the train tickets and the hotel reservation had already been sent to me by the Rai offices”. The stop came after sending the text of his monologue: “When I already had my bags packed, I was informed that my contract was cancelled.” Scurati also brings Fedez into the mix: «I no longer tolerate people slandering me by accusing me of veniality to divert attention from the real issue. Especially from the top management of a company, Rai, which gives an influencer and rapper of dubious morality several tens of thousands of euros to give interviews about her marriage.” Finally, the attack against Sergio and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: «The CEO of Rai demonstrates that he does not want to recognize the value of cultural work. He thus demonstrates that he despises culture. Allow me to note that this vulgar contempt makes him totally unsuitable for the important role he holds. I must also note that this smoke screen, raised by false and misleading arguments, once again has the effect of allowing the prime minister not to respond to the embarrassing questions raised by me in the monologue that Rai had commissioned from me and which then did not allowed us to read.”
The Democratic Party rises
Sergio’s sentences were defined as “shameful” by the Democratic Party. «It is the arrogance of a power that has become censorship and intimidation», reads the note from Senator Francesco Verducci, member of the Rai Supervisory Commission. «We also remember Roberto Sergio perfectly – he added – the social media outings against the company Rai (at the time of a Sanremo) and in another context against his fellow director Andrea Vianello. So obviously everything is worth it to him. Others, however, should be fired.” And then again: «In reality, Sergio’s attempt to cover up the censorship against Scurati is evident. No one has yet given a valid answer as to why Scurati’s contract was canceled once the top management became aware of the contents of the monologue. And Sergio’s attempt to prepare the ground for the purge of Serena Bortone, guilty of autonomy and pluralism, is clear. Sergio – continued Verducci – attacks a journalist who acted in the interests of the credibility and autonomy of the public service, prerogatives which evidently bother Sergio”.
Fnsi: «Does Sergio grant pardon to his subjects?»
The comment from the Fnsi (National Federation of the Italian Press) is of the same tone: «Should Serena Bortone have been fired? And therefore the CEO of Rai claims for himself the role of new King who grants grace to his subjects? Can someone inform him that since the Enlightenment onwards the trials are based on democratic values and full guarantees for the accused”, writes the president of the Fnsi, Vittorio Di Trapani, on participation on April 25th of a Strega Prize like Antonio Scurati, while anyone who denounces that cancellation deserves to be fired. We are now at the reversal of reality and values has for the role of the Board of Directors. In essence he considers them to be paper pushers of government orders”, concluded Di Trapani, referring to Sergio’s comment during the newspaper event directed by Claudio Cerasa on the renewal of the Viale Mazzini top management after the European elections: «A year ago I was asked to complete the three-year mandate with the exit of Fuortes. I accepted and appointed Giampaolo Rossi as general manager, whom I respected and continue to respect. Now he will be the next CEO and I will be the next CEO. There is no problem”.
Usigrai: Sergio’s statements are “unacceptable and very serious”.
Also Usigrai, the journalists’ union Rai, considers Sergio’s statements “unacceptable and very serious”. «Going so far as to publicly hypothesize the dismissal of an employee while disciplinary proceedings are underway has the flavor of a threat – we read in a note -. If Serena Bortone must be fired, what sanction should Roberto Sergio have deserved who in April 2023 as radio director attacked the director of Radio1 Vianello, accusing him of “amplifying violence”? Should the CEO of the time have called for his dismissal? And then again: «It is also representative of the climate of omnipotence of this top management – continues Usigrai – to announce, as if nothing had happened, the name of the next CEO. We ask ourselves whether Parliament and the next members of the Board of Directors are okay with being stripped of their role”, concludes the note.
