The protest of Agi journalists: “No to the Angelucci”. And Dire also goes on strike

The protest of Agi journalists: “No to the Angelucci”. And Dire also goes on strike

A woman shouts through a megaphone: “Agi is not for sale!” A visitor leaves the queue in front of the Pantheon and, curious, approaches: “Why are you protesting?” “We are the journalists of the second Italian press agency, owned by Eni, controlled by the Treasury, and now they want to hand it over to Angelucci, the Lega deputy who already controls three right-wing newspapers, Il Giornale, Libero and Il Tempo… “. “Angelucci?” the lady asks perplexed. This is reported by La Repubblica. Antonio Angelucci, the very powerful in healthcare, a politician no one has ever heard of. Having discovered himself to be a supporter of the Movement, he wants to acquire Agi to consolidate his media empire and satisfy Giorgia Meloni. An entirely Roman move. “Another act of this increasingly arrogant right”, comments Pierluigi Bersani, who came to give his support to the journalists' sit-in. “We don't want a political master, but a publisher who guarantees independence and autonomy”, they reiterate.

“What kind of freedom will we have if the owner becomes a parliamentarian of the current majority?” The 70 journalists and 19 printers are on their fifth day of strike. Five days without pay hurts. But it is wrong to reduce their battle to a simple union issue, because the problem they raise is deeper, and in some aspects, more critical: it does not only concern their lives (everyone assumes that Angelucci will proceed with massive cuts first), but the fate of journalism in Italy. Since yesterday, the Dire Agency, founded by Berlinguer's former spokesperson Antonio Tat, has a new editorial director: Davide Vecchi, former director of Tempo. Dire is also on strike. The protest has the merit of uniting the entire opposition.

For the Democratic Party there are Sandro Ruotolo, Chiara Braga, Antonio Nicita, Walter Verini, Giuseppe Provenzano. “You are the miners of informationyou do a valuable job”, Bersani praises the journalists. “This is why your independence is fundamental.” Then Carlo Calenda appears. “The agencies risk becoming lobbying tools”, he warns. “We are witnessing a regression of democracy!” shouts Riccardo Magi of +Europa through the megaphone. Nicola Fratoianni also agrees: “It is an attack on freedom of information.” Ruotolo underlines the conflict of interest in which Angelucci would find himself: parliamentarian, publisher financed with public money, entrepreneur in the healthcare sector. Filippo Sensi is worried about what is happening. Ruotolo asks if it is true that Mondadori is interested in the acquisition. The journalists shake their heads.

Then Alessandra Costante, secretary of the National Press Federation, intervenes: “I expected to see the director of the Agi, Rita Lofano, here too, but evidently this battle doesn't matter to you.” Finally, like an expected lady, Giuseppe Conte arrives: “What's happening here? A company owned by the State, controlled by the State, offered in private negotiation to a parliamentarian of the majority? Eni must clarify.” Andrea Martella asks him: “Giuseppe, where have we arrived?” Conte replies: “We would never have allowed something like this.” Then, with a touch of theatricality: “Is it true that Mario Sechi is the director of this operation? Why doesn't he make an appearance, whoever he is?”.