Controversy over the Forum at the Vespa farm, the case ends up in the Rai board of directors: “The credibility of the public service is at risk”

The fourth edition of the Forum in Masseria organized by Bruno Vespa, with Prime Minister Meloni and eight ministers among the guests, which ended today in Manduria, has come to the attention of the Rai board of directors. The directors Francesca Bria and Riccardo Laganà write to the top management of the company: in the crosshairs, the possibility that the information coverage of the event, with the wide media prominence, is configured “as hidden advertising in favor of the entrepreneurial activity of the collaborator Vespa and that the recording of the Five Minutes program within the private property of the journalist and host “jeopardizes the reputation and credibility of the public service which, also through its own journalists and collaborators, should always assume an attitude of independence and impartiality with respect to political and business subjects.

The question could land on the table of the next board of directors, convened for Tuesday 13 June. The case was raised yesterday by the president of the national federation of the press, Vittorio di Trapani: “We will evaluate a complaint to the Antitrust”, he announced, defining the appointment at the farm “a maxi commercial for an entrepreneurial initiative by the artist Vespa. Nor can we remain silent about the fact that it is a further demonstration of subjection to the government: from ‘third chamber’ to ‘government resort’. Moreover, the data from the Observatory of Pavia relating to the news are impressive. We are certain that they are already being brought to the attention of AgCom». “We are in the fourth edition of the Forum in the farm,” replied Vespa. «When, for the first editions, we hosted the ministers of the Draghi government, there was no objection. As soon as the center-right has arrived in government, we find ourselves enslaved. How come?”. «Vespa pretends not to understand: I didn’t ask the question of his enslavement, but that of the maxi commercial for his farm. And in fact he does not respond to this» the Fnsi president replies. As for being enslaved, for di Trapani “Vespa has the consistency of always having been, ever since he declared that his editor of reference was the DC”.
The Usigrai executive also intervened on the matter, urging a position to be taken by the top management of the company: «We would like to know if and why an in-depth program was allowed to be broadcast from the family farm of the collaborator who runs it. Who allowed the brand of this farmhouse to end up in the foreground in the news services» and «because ethical codes, disciplinary regulations, authorization procedures in force in the company for everyone, employees and collaborators, did not suggest finding solutions that avoided intertwining the work of a collaborator and the business interests of his family».