Journalists at Italy’s RaiSport announced on Tuesday that they would go on strike for three days after the Winter Olympics, including not including bylines in their Olympic coverage.
They are protesting that the opening ceremony broadcast by their bosses last Friday started off shaky and quickly became a complete mess.
What happened at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics?
Paolo Petrecca, director of RaiSport and former head of RaiNews, started by questioning whether he knew where he stood, and then continued in much the same vein.
He welcomed viewers to the “Stadio Olimpico”, named after Rome’s famous Olympic Stadium, while standing in Milan’s equally famous San Siro Stadium, home of Milan’s famous soccer powerhouses AC and Inter Milan.
Eventually, Petrecca told viewers, “The show continues with Mariah Carey,” and the camera focused on Matilda de Angelis, a famous Italian actress who is more than 20 years younger than the American vocalist.
De Angelis later posted a glamorous shot on Instagram that covered almost all of her features, with the caption, “Please call me Mariah.”
“Mattarella and his daughter,” Petrecca announced, as International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry entered the stadium with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
Petrecca also risked upsetting foreign viewers by pointing out that Spanish players are “always very enthusiastic” and that many members of the Chinese team “obviously have mobile phones in their hands.”
How did Rai journalists react?
The public broadcaster’s editorial committee, the Comitato di Redazione, the internal union representing journalists, issued a statement on Monday saying all journalists would refrain from collecting signatures during the conference and would go on strike for three days after the conference ends.
“We are all embarrassed, no one is excluded and it is through no fault of our own,” the newspaper said. “With one of the most anticipated events ever facing the worst result in RaiSport history, now is the time to make our voices heard.”
Italian opposition politicians cited the gaffe as a sign of the alleged politicization of Rai’s appointments in recent years. Petrecca previously headed RaiNews and was accused of being biased against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
In a statement, the opposition Democratic Party said: “The Olympics are a moment of greatest responsibility for public broadcasters. Instead, RAI has offered the worst version of itself. It is the Telemeroni we know so well.”
A spokesperson for parent company Rai told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Petrecca was removed from the commentary team for the Feb. 22 closing ceremony after a meeting that included Rai CEO Giamappolo Rossi.
Editor: Wesley Dockery
