Ranucci files urgent court appeal as Rai issues disciplinary charge

On the same day that his legal counsel filed an urgent request with the labor court to restore his position as host of Report, Sigfrido Ranucci received a disciplinary notice from Rai. The broadcaster’s letter, dated the previous day, lists alleged violations including forwarding internal communications to outsiders, public comments on senior staff, and unauthorized access by external individuals. Ranucci’s attorneys, led by Franco Focareta, Franco Scarpelli and Stefano Rossi of Studio Devitalaw, contend that the removal was justified by political pressure after remarks by Matteo Salvini, Giovanbattista Fazzolari and Ignazio La Russa, and by his association with Valter Lavitola, a bomb-attack survivor.

They ask the court to determine whether Rai can dismiss the anchor on vague incompatibility grounds without concrete evidence. Rai maintains the decision was editorial, signed by Paolo Corsini, not by CEO Giampaolo Rossi, and cites an ethics committee report that identified disciplinary concerns. The dispute highlights the tension between state-run media independence and partisan interference.