The controversial remarks made by Paolo Corsini, the director of Rai’s news programming, have drawn the attention of Rai’s CEO, Giampaolo Rossi, who has summoned Corsini to express his dissatisfaction with the incident. Rossi has instructed the relevant departments to assess any potential disciplinary actions related to Corsini’s comments aired on the program “Piazzapulita.”
The uproar originated late last night during a segment on La7, where Corsini responded rudely to a reporter following him from the Il Tempo celebration at the Gnam. Corsini reportedly told the reporter, “You from Piazzapulita are… no comment. Tell your friend Formigli to look into his conscience a bit, you… infame.” He later attempted to clarify his remarks by referencing a step he was leaving. This exchange provoked a swift rebuttal from Corrado Formigli, who stated, “I don’t know this Corsini, but he insults me without us ever having met. We’ve never insulted him,” while showing a clip from a previous event where Corsini had referred to himself as a “militant,” an assertion that had already sparked a disciplinary inquiry.
The incident has prompted strong reactions from political figures, including Sandro Ruotolo, a Member of the European Parliament and the information officer for the national secretariat of the Democratic Party (PD). Ruotolo called for Corsini’s resignation, citing alarming comments in light of the recent book by Massimo Arcangeli, Quel braccio alzato. Storia del saluto romano. He emphasized that Corsini’s pro-fascist sentiments are evident in his social media posts, urging Rai not to waste any more time in addressing the situation. The Five Star Movement (M5S) echoed these sentiments, with their group leader in the Vigilanza committee, Dario Carotenuto, formally requesting that the company take a clear stance on the incident.
Reactions from the journalism community have also been swift, with Carlo Bartoli, president of the National Order of Journalists, expressing his embarrassment and dismay over Corsini’s insults towards a colleague, which he deemed a clear violation of ethical standards. The Usigrai union stated that Corsini does not only represent himself but embodies Rai as a whole, and called for a thorough review of the ethical and disciplinary codes within the organization. Meanwhile, FNsi Secretary General Alessandra Costante remarked that while political disagreements among colleagues are natural, they should never breach the limits of decorum, emphasizing the importance of maintaining civil discourse in professional settings.
