New Boss. New Rules. Same Plan. Get Used To It.

Michael Hedges October 26, 2022 Follow on Twitter

Today’s news media report, rinse, dry and repeat the words and deeds of elected officials. It’s a tiring process as the messaging is often predictable. This is by design. Political leaders need to comfort their fans, even as they enflame foes. It is a process. Blame social media if you dare. Even those unencumbered by electoral niceties pay close attention to media messaging.

Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s new prime minister, may or may not realize that her every step is under a microscope. Ms Meloni is the country’s first woman to serve in that office. She has been in office since October 22. Political watchers in and out of Italy have been watching and listening carefully for possible clues about tomorrow. Italian media watchers, too, are tuning in as the prime minister’s office has sway over different corners of the media sphere, not least of which public broadcaster RAI. Every new prime minister likes to have, as we say, good press and a new team of communications specialists has been hired.

Most all Italian media associations and unions quickly and carefully issued hopeful statements for good relations with the new government. The Italian Federation of Journalism Publishing Communication (FIGEC) wished “fruitful work” to the new prime minister, quoted by Giornalistitalia (October 21), as “the moment is complicated and the challenges really demanding. Precisely in difficulties it is necessary to increase the level of courage and determination: qualities, neither one nor the other, which, in recent months, have not been lacking but which, in the future, will be even more indispensable.”

Word choice in indispensable for negotiating Italian culture wars, at the heart of Ms Meloni’s campaign. Widely noted was the choice of the prime minister’s office in its first official statement (October 23) to use the masculine form “il” rather than gender appropriate feminine “la” in her title, Presidente del Consiglio. This was repeated in Parliament the following day; hence, not an oversight.

The principal trade union at public broadcaster RAI, USIGRAI, referred to the RAI gender policy that “indicates the use of the feminine where it exists,” said its statement quoted by populist daily Il Fatto Quotidiano (October 25). “No colleague can therefore be forced to use the masculine. We ask colleagues to report any violations.”

Guardian of the Italian language, Accademia della Crusca, said the feminine form is grammatically correct but “those who prefer the traditional male forms, however, have the right to do so,” reported news portal AdnKronos (October 24). “Get used to not being afraid of these linguistic fluctuations.” Of course, Ms Meloni’s political party is the far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI).

As follows from each change in the Italian government, RAI executives and directors are eying the door as political operatives move in. By virtue, so to speak, of endless coalition governments, political parties move supporters in and out. TG2 director Gennaro Sangiuliano was replaced temporarily by deputy director Carlo Pilieci, as Sr Sangiuliano was bumped to the Culture Ministry. The top job, general director, is held by Carlo Fuortes, whose term expires in 18 months.

See also...

• Hot Topics - Media in Italy
• Hot Topics - Elections and Media

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