RAI International quits TLN

Announcement made during Comites conference of Italian immigration

Massimo Magliaro, director of RAI International, minced no words in expressing his company's disappointment with its Canadian partner, Telelatino, the station that rebroadcasts some programmes of Italy's state television. Given during the second national conference on emigration, Magliaro's speech hit - to use a TV metaphor - record ratings.
He mentioned lack of professionalism in placing Italian programmes, unwarranted cut-ins "to insert some ravioli ads," and the commercials themselves "that in Italy not even a neighbourhood TV station would broadcast." He added: "They even interrupted the Pope's Angelus prayer!"
So that's it! RAI turns a new leaf. The contract with Telelatino will be rescinded and an application will be submitted to the Canadian Radio Television Commission (CRTC) in order to obtain a channel for RAI International, broadcasting 24 hours a day. The conference promptly and unanimously voted a document in support of these initiatives, hastily prepared by Gino Bucchino and Carlo Consiglio.
Massimo Magliaro talked to us about his speech.
A speech worthy of a star.
"Imagine that! I just said what I think and have been thinking for awhile. Now, however, there is the possibility to act upon those thoughts, because many objections have been overcome. Enough is enough; what Telelatino did to our programmes went beyond what the Lansquenets did to Rome. A devastation, because on the average RAI programmes - and I'm not saying this to defend my company - is very high."
You mentioned obstacles that had to be overcome. How did you do it?
"With very simple reasoning. First, after the concession of the right to vote abroad it was unthinkable that Italian-Canadians could be denied the right to up-to-date information. How could they vote, otherwise? Second, a country like Italy has 60 million emigrants all over the world, including MPs, ministers, presidents of Parliaments; owns 70 percent of the world's cultural heritage; and is increasingly visible abroad. Such a country cannot afford to lack an instrument of international information. We could not continue to entrust this tool to a commercial station, with objectives very different from our own. We had to carry Italy to Canada directly. And there's another reason."
Go ahead.
"Look around. Did this Italian-Canadian community, so vivacious, enterprising and protagonist in this country, not deserve attention?"
Actually it deserved it even earlier, and for decades it was treated otherwise. It goes to your credit that you changed things. Let's talk technicalities. What will happen tomorrow?
"First of all, I must say that things have changed on my watch, but the work to change them began with my predecessors, Roberto Morrione and Giancarlo Leone. What will happen tomorrow, or more realistically in the next few weeks? We shall submit our application to the CRTC for an international digital channel. Then, as usual, the community will need to activate to send support letters to the CRTC."
When will your contract with Telelatino expire?
"We rescinded it from the end of the current TV season, on August 31, 2003."
What then?
"If everything goes well, on September 1 we shall begin broadcasting our signal. Should things be slower, but I don't think so, we shall use another station. Anyway, in my opinion by October 2003 at worst RAI International will be in Canada 24 hours a day."
Will your service be subscription-based?
"Yes, but at very affordable prices."
How do you justify charging a price for what was once a free service?
"Well, as I said, the price will be affordable, and then the service will be on the air 24 hours a day, and it will have specific programmes: most of the program line-up will be done in Italy, but there will also be local news, like in the United States. Be assured that the service will be worth every penny. We consider Canada a laboratory."
What do you mean by that?
"I'll explain. Canada is an Italian enclave in North America. Here we have the ideal conditions for inventing television for Italians abroad: there are first-generation Italians, their children and grandchildren, and a great many lovers of Italy. We shall target all three components of this diverse audience that nowhere else is as clearly identifiable as here. My editorial plan is summarized in a slogan: 'We need to talk of Italians in the world, but also of Italy to the world.' We need to change the way we introduce ourselves, and we intend to experiment here, in Canada. Therefore we shall have news from Italy for the elders, language and culture for their children and grandchildren, and everything Italian for those enamoured of our country. You'll see, you will be pleased with our work. A new era begins today."

Publication Date: 2002-11-24
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=2056