Claudia Di Pasquale to host Report with Daniele Piervincenzi
Investigative journalist Claudia Di Pasquale will host the investigation programme Report on Italian public broadcaster Rai together with Daniele Piervincenzi. This was announced by Rai's head of in-depth programming, Paolo Corsini, after journalist Giulia Presutti declined the appointment to the programme.
As ANSA English reports, Corsini explained the choice of Di Pasquale by her considerable experience. He also said that, on a human level, he understood Presutti's decision to decline the post. On Wednesday evening, Presutti announced that she would not accept the appointment.
Replacing Sigfrido Ranucci
Rai said last week that it was replacing Report host Sigfrido Ranucci because of his friendly relations with Walter Lavitola, a restaurateur who was previously convicted of extorting the late former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in a case involving alleged escort services. The broadcaster said it had offered Ranucci other roles.
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According to ANSA, Lavitola admitted that he had arranged an explosion near Ranucci's home outside Rome in October and said he had wanted to secure increased protection for his friend. Prosecutors said that the explosion was intended to boost Ranucci's popularity ahead of a possible entry into politics, from which Lavitola could also have benefited, according to their version. At the same time, investigators do not suspect Ranucci of involvement in the plan.
Editorial staff reaction
The 65-year-old Ranucci said he intended to seek his return to the post through legal action. Other Report journalists threatened to resign if his removal is definitively confirmed. Ranucci himself said he had become the victim of a smear campaign by the conservative press because of his relationship with Lavitola.
The 36-year-old Presutti worked at Report for nine years and took part in a number of high-profile investigations. Piervincenzi, 45, previously covered rugby and also worked on complex Rai investigations, including one into the ties between a crime family from the Roman coast and the far-right group CasaPound.
