Eight months after Italy took a sharp turn to the right, the government headed by Prime Minister– whose Brothers of Italy party has neo-fascist roots – is wreaking havoc at state broadcaster RAI, prompting the abrupt exit of several executives and TV personalities and causing alarm within the country’s film and TV sectors.
Perhaps the most symbolic departure from RAI is that of moderately left-leaning talkshow host Fabio Fazio, and his sidekick, Luciana Littizzetto, a comedian known for her monologues targeting conservatives. After reportedly failing to get their contracts renewed in a timely manner for their top-rated prime time show “Che Tempo Che Fa,” they’ve signed a four-year deal with Warner Bros. Discovery that will see the show resurface on Discovery Italia’s terrestrial channel Nove in September.
So where does this disruption leave Italy’s film and TV industries, for whom RAI is a major source of funding? And what’s next in terms of the conservative government’s broader potential impact on the Italian industry? The industry in Italy is currently on a roll largely thanks to the country’s generous 40% tax credit for national and international productions and other forms of government support.