Report TV Staff Threaten Mass Resignation Over Rai Host Choices

Ultimatum over new presenters

Editorial staff at the Rai 3 investigative programme Report have issued an ultimatum to Rai management, demanding the withdrawal of newly designated co-hosts Giulia Presutti and Daniele Piervincenzi. On the morning of 1 September 2026, Rai In-Depth Director Paolo Corsini held separate meetings at the Via Teulada studios in Rome with external correspondent Bernardo Iovene and internal journalist Giulio Valesini. Corsini maintained that editorial leadership reserves the right to choose programme presenters, while journalists are tasked with producing public service reporting. Both Iovene and Valesini informed Corsini that staff will not work on the upcoming season unless the appointed presenters step down or withdraw voluntarily. Both journalists also declined offers from network leadership to assume roles as head authors of the broadcast.

In today's meeting we reiterated the position expressed by external correspondents and internal journalists of Report: Rai must back down on the appointments of the two new hosts or they must step aside, otherwise we will not return to work and will abandon everything.

Compromise offers rejected

During the talks, Corsini attempted to negotiate by offering a compromise under which Presutti and Piervincenzi would only introduce investigations on air without participating at the authors' table. The newsroom rejected that framework, with Iovene explaining that two professional journalists would not accept a purely decorative presenting role. The team noted that of the two nominees, Piervincenzi is not part of the newsroom, while Presutti has contributed only a limited number of investigations. Four reporters previously considered for hosting (Iovene, Valesini, Giorgio Mottola, and Paolo Mondani) stated they would step aside only for internal candidates who carry the confidence of the newsroom. Former host Sigfrido Ranucci, who is in an ongoing legal dispute with Rai, also criticized the appointments. Ranucci stated that the public broadcaster exam passed by the designated hosts evaluated one-minute news reading rather than managing 160 minutes of investigative reporting.

Threat of broadcast shutdown

The conflict threatens the planned return of the programme, which is scheduled in autumn broadcast schedules for November 2026. Rai management had initially viewed the protest as a negotiating tactic and suggested it could replace departing staff, but the team maintained a unified position. Internal journalists have declared readiness to strike, while external contributors without permanent contracts plan to walk away entirely. Depending on estimates from staff representatives, between 50 and 60 journalists, coordinators, and production crew members are prepared to join the collective departure. Team members stated that Presutti remains the only journalist from the group supporting the management choice.

Next steps at Via Teulada

Following his discussions with staff representatives, Corsini held a two-hour meeting with Presutti and Piervincenzi on the afternoon of 1 September 2026. Leaving the Via Teulada studios after the conversation, Piervincenzi told reporters that they could not make public statements. A plenary assembly between Corsini and the entire Report newsroom and production staff is scheduled for the afternoon of 2 September 2026 at the Via Teulada headquarters. Staff representatives stated that if the meeting fails to produce an agreement, the newsroom may convene a press conference in the following days to announce their collective resignation.