“On the political agenda of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, there is a surprise move that could catch both the opposition and the majority off guard. A temptation that the premier is flirting with and that could become one of the topics of the upcoming Stability Law. Three words: privatize Rai.”
Il Foglio, in an article by Claudio Cerasa, raises a rumor destined to spark discussion. The director recalls how “the verb privatize has been invoked by Giorgia Meloni in several contexts, from Eni to Poste, from Ferrovie dello Stato to the sale of a stake in Rai Way.”
For Cerasa, however, “the scenario of privatizing Rai is something more than a mere accounting consideration and would resemble a political and cultural shift. The premier would change the narrative: no longer putting politics in Rai but a bit of Rai on the market.” According to Il Foglio, “even though the formula Meloni is considering is still vague, with some she has gone so far as to say that the ideal privatization coincides with 50 percent of Rai.”
So far, there are no real confirmations or evidence. Palazzo Chigi does not comment on the background. Someone in the government whispers that the Rai privatization dossier has been evaluated but has not taken off; it has not turned into a concrete project and will not even be analyzed in view of the Stability Law. It remains to be seen in the future. Others believe that if this option were to be considered, the stake to be put on the market should not exceed 30% in order not to open the door to a possible takeover of the public broadcasting service. Additionally, it must be understood what would actually be privatized. The only really attractive network would be Rai 1, which obviously cannot be sold. Moreover, at this stage, one must also take into account the entry of a giant like Discovery.
One option that Maurizio Gasparri invites to consider is looking beyond the generalist channels: “While Rai 1, Rai 2, and Rai 3 remain untouched, there are those dedicated to history, cinema, children, and sports. If it helps to raise funds, those can be partially or fully ceded.”
One aspect that the government is actively considering is the need to reduce the debt accumulated over the years by Rai, amounting to 568 million. Cerasa reminds us that on Wednesday, the presidents of the Chamber and Senate will try to set a date to elect the 4 Rai board members elected by Parliament, whose mandate is expiring. “Who knows if Meloni will follow through on her idea: to remove a bit of politics from Viale Mazzini and put a bit of Rai on the market.”
An idea that does not seem to win over Giampaolo Rossi.
A year ago, interviewed in Stresa by Salvatore Merlo, the general director of Rai expressed himself clearly. “In all of Europe, public services are founded as a value of the democratic system, guaranteeing a plural narrative and defending the cultural industry. And Viale Mazzini is no exception.”