Sigfrido Ranucci rejects censorship claims as Rome court weighs Report role

Broadcast remarks spark public clash

Former Report host Sigfrido Ranucci responded publicly on 30 September 2026 to statements made by former colleagues during the DIG Festival in Modena. The remarks, delivered by Report correspondent and Di Martedì commentator Giorgio Mottola, former contributor Alberto Nerazzini, and former consultant Gian Gaetano Bellavia, were broadcast on the Rai 3 programme Filorosso, hosted by Antonino Monteleone. The episode examined the Valter Lavitola case alongside internal criticisms of Ranucci's editorial management. Monteleone shared Ranucci's response online with the remark, "There is serenity, let's say." Ranucci rejected the broadcast as a series of falsehoods and directed criticism at Filorosso structure head Giuseppe Malara and Rai director Paolo Corsini.

Rebuttal of censorship claims

Nerazzini alleged that Ranucci had blocked three of his investigative pieces from broadcast and stated that Ranucci was not a left-wing journalist. In response, Ranucci affirmed that journalists must remain free to investigate all political parties, including the left, and denied suppressing any material.

“I have never censored anyone, in fact I have defended every product of my reporters, whichever party was involved: I also pay for this.”

Ranucci detailed two specific editorial disputes to counter Nerazzini's claims. Regarding an investigation into a Milan residential building, Ranucci stated that Rai had already paid for the work under existing contracts, prompting him to block a second purchase to protect both the network and the reporter. Regarding a separate piece on religious institutions, Ranucci explained that Nerazzini wished to suggest the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office declined to investigate friars for self-laundering. Ranucci noted that self-laundering was added to the penal code only after the events in question, referencing the final acquittal of the friars by the Court of Milan on 17 May 2019 in sentence number 6368/2019. He also referenced past workplace solidarity, citing financial collections organized among colleagues to replace production equipment stolen from Nerazzini during multiple burglaries.

Disagreements over management and roles

The controversy extended to Rai administrative regulations and internal editorial roles. Mottola criticized Ranucci's dual position as both author and programme host, citing an internal policy originally established under former Rai director general Luigi Gubitosi. Ranucci dismissed Mottola's argument, stating that the directive was created to stop executives from assigning themselves presenting roles for financial enrichment, rather than applying to legitimate editorial appointments. During the Modena panel, Bellavia also proposed that Mottola conduct an investigation into Ranucci once the Lavitola matter concluded. Earlier press reports by Simone Canettieri in Corriere della Sera had cited discontent among Report staff over Ranucci's potential return, though Ranucci and the editorial committee of Rai Approfondimento rejected those claims.

Impending labor court ruling

The public exchange occurred while Rome labor court judge Donatella Casari examined Ranucci's urgent legal appeal for reinstatement as the host of Report. The court set 30 September 2026 as the final deadline for the legal teams to submit their written arguments ahead of a formal ruling in the first part of October. In parallel, Rai offered Ranucci three alternative positions within the company, comprising roles at Rai News, Tg3, or the foreign correspondence bureau in Cairo. The broadcaster granted a 15-day extension for Ranucci to decide whether to accept one of the reassignments. The legal outcome before Judge Casari will determine whether Ranucci returns to the investigative programme.