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REFLECTIONS ON THE MILAN DAILY PRESS

Date: 1978 December 20, 00:00 (Wednesday) Canonical ID: 1978MILAN01952_d
Original Classification: CONFIDENTIAL Current Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Handling Restrictions -- N/A or Blank -- Character Count: 15898
Executive Order: GS 19841220 FINA, THOMAS W Locator: TEXT ON MICROFILM,TEXT ONLINE
TAGS: IT - Italy (/plusd/?q=&qftags=IT#result) | Concepts: INFORMATION MEDIA (/plusd
PINT - Political Aairs--Internal Political /?q=&qfconcept=INFORMATION+MEDIA#result)
Aairs (/plusd/?q=&qftags=PINT#result) | | NEWSPAPERS (/plusd
PROP - Political Aairs--Propaganda and /?q=&qfconcept=NEWSPAPERS#result) |
Psychological Operations (/plusd REPORTS (/plusd
/?q=&qftags=PROP#result) | SOPN - Social /?q=&qfconcept=REPORTS#result)
Aairs--Public Opinion and Information
(/plusd/?q=&qftags=SOPN#result)
Enclosure: -- N/A or Blank -- Type: TE - Telegram (cable)
Office Origin: -- N/A OR BLANK -- Archive Status: Electronic Telegrams
Office Action: ACTION EUR - BUREAU OF EUROPEAN AND
EURASIAN AFFAIRS
From: ITALY MILAN (/PLUSD/?Q=&QFORIGIN=ITALY Markings: Sheryl P. Walter Declassied/Released US
%23%23MILAN#RESULT) | MILAN OR-M Department of State EO Systematic Review 20
(/PLUSD/?Q=&QFORIGIN=MILAN+OR-M#RESULT) Mar 2014
To: ITALY FLORENCE (/PLUSD
/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=ITALY
%23%23FLORENCE#RESULT) | ITALY GENOA
(/PLUSD/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=ITALY
%23%23GENOA#RESULT) | ITALY NAPLES
(/PLUSD/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=ITALY
%23%23NAPLES#RESULT) | ITALY PALERMO
(/PLUSD/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=ITALY
%23%23PALERMO#RESULT) | ITALY ROME
(/PLUSD/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=ITALY
%23%23ROME#RESULT) | SECRETARY OF STATE
(/PLUSD/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=SECRETARY OF
STATE#RESULT) | TRIESTE UNN (/PLUSD
/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=TRIESTE UNN#RESULT) |
TURIN UNN (/PLUSD
/?Q=&QFDESTINATION=TURIN UNN#RESULT)

1. ALL BUT ONE OF ITALY'S MAJOR NATIONAL DAILIES ARE EITHER

PUBLISHED IN OR CONTROLLED FROM MILAN: THE CORRIERE DELLA
SERA, 24 ORE, IL NUOVO GIORNALE, AND LA REPUBBLICA. EVEN
THE COMMUNIST DAILY, L'UNITA' HAS ITS MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED
EDITIONS PUBLISHED IN MILAN WHICH DIVIDES EDITORIAL DIRECTION
WITH ITS ROME HEADQUARTERS.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIALMILAN 01952 01 OF 02 210033Z

2. FABIO LUCCA CAVAZZA, A FORMER LEADER GRANTEE KNOWN FOR

MANY YEARS TO AMERICANS CONCERNED WITH ITALIAN AFFAIRS AS
PERCEPTIVE AND RELIABLE, HAS NOW TAKEN OVER PERSONAL DIRECTION
OF ITALY'S MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL DAILY, THE MILAN-PUBLISHED
24 ORE. HIS OBSERVATIONS ON THE MILAN PRESS SITUATION ARE
LIABLE TO BE VERY WELL INFORMED, ARE CERTAINLY RELIABLE AND
CONCERN A SUBJECT OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. THEY FOLLOW AS A

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR SOME OF OUR OWN REFLECTIONS ON THE
PRESENT PRESS SITUATION IN MILAN.
3. 24 ORE. CAVAZZA SAID ON DEC 11 THAT HE HAD TAKEN
OVER THE DIRECTORSHIP OF THE PAPER, AFTER HAVING SERVED AS CHAIRMAN
OF THE BOARD, AT THE REQUEST OF THE OWNERS AND THE OUTGOING
EDITOR HIMSELF. OWNED BY ITALY'S POWERFUL NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF MANUFACTURERS (VONFINDUSTRIA), 24 ORE PURSUES A RELATIVELY
INDEPENDENT POLITICAL POSITION AND, UNDER CAVAZZA'S LEADERSHIP
IN RECENT YEARS, HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY A GENERAL NEWSPAPER
PATTERNING ITSELF ON THE FINANCIAL TIMES OF LONDON AND THE
WALL STREET JOURNAL. IN TERMS OF FACTUAL RELIABILITY, IT IS
PROBABLY ITALY'S BEST. NEVERTHELESS, ITS CENTRAL FOCUS IS
FINANCIAL REPORTING. DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS CAVAZZA HAS
BEEN LARGELY ENGAGED IN TRYING TO SOLVE ITS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS.
TODAY, HE SAYS, THAT IT IS BREAKING EVEN ONCE MORE. MOREOVER,
HE SEES SOME RELIEF FROM FINANCIAL PRESSURES BEGINNING IN
1980 WHEN A NEW PRINTING ARRANGEMENT WILL TAKE OVER THE EXISTING
STRUCTURE. CAVAZZA HAS SPUN OFF HIS 120 PRINTING EMPLOYEES
TO AN INDEPENDENT FIRM THAT WILL USE PHOTOCOMPOSITION EQUIPMENT
AND REDUCE THE LABOR COMMITTED TO 24 ORE BY ONE-THIRD. AS
A RESULT, CAVAZZA SEES A FAIRLY UNTROUBLED FUTURE IN THIS FIELD,
AT LEAST. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE DEPARTURE OF FORMER EDITOR
ALBERTO MUCCI TO BECOME EDITOR OF THE CORRIERE'S FINANCIAL
PAGES WAS MOTIVATED PRIMARILY BY MUCCI'S REALIZATION THAT HE
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03

MILAN 01952 01 OF 02 210033Z

RISKED A ONE-JOB CAREER. NOW ALMOST 50, MUCCI HAD SPENT HIS
ENTIRE PROFESSIONAL LIFE WITH 24 ORE. WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY
CAME, HE DECIDED THAT HE WANTED MORE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCE
AND THE CALL TO ITALY'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS DAILY WAS PROBABLY
HARD TO RESIST, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT ALSO GAVE HIM SUPERVISION
OF THE ECONOMIC COVERAGE OF ALL THE RIZZOLI PUBLICATIONS.
4. CORRIERE DELLA SERA. CAVAZZA SHOOK HIS HEAD AND SAID
THAT IT HAD BECOME A MISHMASH SINCE THE CHANGE IN ITS EDITOR.
IT HAD LOST MUCH OF ITS CREDIBILITY BY BECOMING PRO-GOVERNMENT
ON EVERY MAJOR ISSUE AND HAD GREATLY DECLINED IN QUALITY.
NOT ONLY HAD ITS JOURNALISTIC TONE TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE
SINCE FRANCO DI BELLA HAD TAKEN OVER THE DIRECTORSHIP, BUT IT
WAS VERY UNEVEN IN CONTENT QUALITY. ON THE OTHER HAND, ITS
CIRCULATION WAS INCREASING.
5. ITS GAINS, HE SAID, WERE AT THE EXPENSE OF INDRO MONTANELLI'S
NUOVO GIORNALE, SITUATED ON ITS RIGHT. AS THE CORRIERE MOVED
TO THE RIGHT, IT WAS TAKING AWAY GIORNALE'S READERSHIP.
AND ALTHOUGH THE CORRIERE HAD NOW ALSO MOVED TO PHOTOCOMPOSITION
EQUIPMENT, IT HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE ITS LABOR FORCE, AND
WAS STILL LEAKING MONEY. ALL OF THAT WAS BEING MADE UP

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

BY TYCON PUBLISHER ANGELO RIZZOLI WHO WAS BEING COVERED BY
CREDITS ADVANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT BANKS FOR POLITICAL REASONS.
6. THE NUOVO GIORNALE HAD ALSO MADE THE TRANSITION TO PHOTOCOMPOSITION EQUIPMENT AND HAD REDUCED ITS
LABOR FORCE. BUT
IT WAS REALLY NOT EVEN A NEWSPAPER ANY MORE, IN CAVAZZA'S
OPINION. IT SIMPLY PRODUCED NO NEWS. IT WAS A DAILY PUBLICATION OF OPINION WITHOUT TOO GREAT REGARD
FOR FACT AND
OBJECTIVITY. IN FACT, ITS CIRCULATION WAS DECLINING.
WHETHER THAT WAS CAUSING ANY FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, CAVAZZA
DIDN'T SAY.
7. LA REPUBBLICA, WHLE PUBLISHED IN ROME, IS PRIMARILY
CONTROLLED BY THE MONDADORI PUBLISHEING COMPANY IN MILAN
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04

MILAN 01952 01 OF 02 210033Z

HEADED BY MARIO FORMENTON. SINCE THE MORO AFFAIR, REPUBBLICA

HAD TURNED AROUND IN ITS CIRCULATION TREND AND HAD NOW GAINED
ABOUT 30 PER CENT IN SOLD COPIES TO RISE FROM WHAT WAS A LOW
OF ABOUT 90,000 TO A PRESENT LEVEL OF ABOUT 120,000 AND STILL
GROWING. ALTHOUGH ITS PRINT RUN WAS ABOUT 200,000 A DAY,
CAVAZZA SAID THAT ALMOST A THIRD OF THOSE WERE RETURNED.
IT WASN'T THAT THE REPUBBLICA HAD BECOME MORE ACCURATE OR
MORE RELIABLE THATN IT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST. BUT DURING THE
MORO AFFAIR IT HAD SIMPLY DONE A BETTER JOB OF COVERING THE
NEWS THATN ANY OF THE OTHER DAILIES. IT CARRIED MORE STORIES
AND MORE DETAILS. IN CAVAZZA'S VIEW, LA REPUBBLICA WAS NOT
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WAS A GOOD NEWSPAPER OR CARRIED NEWS NOT
ELSEWHERE AVAILABLE. RATHER, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO OPINION
MAKERS AND DECISION MAKERS BECAUSE IT WAS THE SCOOP SHEET
FOR THE PRACTITIONERS OF NATIONAL POLITICS IN ROME.
AFFICIANADOS OF ITALIAN POLITICS READ LA REPUBBLICA TO KNOW
WHAT OTHER AFFICIANADOS AND PRACTITIONERS WERE SAYING - NOT
NECESSARILY WHAT THEY WERE DOING OR THINKING. IN ANY EVENT,
TALK OF CLOSING LA REPUBBLICA, WHICH WAS COMMON A YEAR AGO
HAD ABOUT DISAPPEARED.
8. IL GIORNO. MILAN'S OTHER MAJOR DAILY, THE LEFT OF CENTER
GIORNO, WHICH HAS SOME NATIONAL CIRCULATION, CONTINUED TO
STUMBLE ALONG, ACCORDING TO CAVAZZA. LONG THE BENEFICIARY OF
ITALY'S NATIONALIZED PETROLEUM CORPORATION (ENI) CAVAZZA SAID
THAT IT WAS LOSING MONEY HAND OVER FIST BUT THAT DESPITE BRAVE
PLANS FOR GETTING THE BUDGET BACK INTO BALANCE, HE COULD SEE
NO LIKELIHOOD OF THAT IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. WHETHER ENI
COULD REALLY CONTINUE TO JUSTIFY ITS HEAVY SUBSIDY, CAVAZZA
VERY MUCH DOUBTED.

CONFIDENTIAL

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

NNN
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01
MILAN 01952 02 OF 02 210241Z
ACTION EUR-12
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00
PA-01 ICA-11 SP-02 /037 W
------------------085031 210252Z /70
R 200830Z DEC 78
FM AMCONSUL MILAN
TO AMEMBASSY ROME
INFO AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL GENOA
AMCONSUL NAPLES
AMCONSUL PALERMO
SECSTATE WASHDC 6309
AMCONSUL TRIESTE UNN
AMCONSUL TURIN UNN
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 2 OF 2 MILAN 1952
9. CAVAZZA'S TOUR D' HORIZON OF THE MILAN PRESS PROVIDES A
TIMELY PEG FOR SOME COMMENTS OF OUR OWN ON THE MILAN PRESS
SITUATION THAT MAY HELP READERS UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW TO READ
IT AS 1978 DRAWS TO A CLOSE.
10. HISTORICALLY, THE CORRIERE DELLA SERA HAS BEEN A JOURNAL
OF RECORD, LIBERAL, NON-CATHOLIC, CLOSE TO ALL GOVERNMENTS
AND THE MOST WIDELY READ AND RELIABLE DAILY IN ITALY. (ITS
ONLY INTELLECTUAL PEER SINCE THE WAR HAS BEEN THE FIAT OWNED
LA STAMPA WHICH REACHED ITS HEIGHTS UNDER THE RIGOROUS DIRECTORSHIP OF GIULIO BENEDETTI, A KIND OF
ITALIAN BEUVE MERY.)
CORRIERE TURNED SHARPLY ANTI-GOVERNMENT IN THE EARLY 1970'S
UNDER THE DIRECTORSHIP OF THE BRILLIANT IF NOT PARTICULARLY
SCRUPULOUS PIERO OTTONE WHO INTIATED A PHASE OF JOURNALISTIC
MUCKRAKING THAT NOTABLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE REVERSES OF THE
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS HE EXPOSED MUCH OF THE SORDID
SIDE OF ITS CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENT. OTTONE MADE THE CORRIERE
A MORE INTELLECTUALLY SHARP DAILY AND DREW INCREASING READERSHIP FROM THE LEFT WHILE ALIENATING SOME
OF ITS TRADITIONAL
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02

MILAN 01952 02 OF 02 210241Z

LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE CLIENTELE. THIS EARLY LED TO

THE REVOLT OF A CLUTCH OF CORRIERE'S BEST NEWSPAPERMEN HEADED
BY THE IRASCIBLE BUT BRILLIANT AND POPULAR INDRO

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

MONTANELLI. BANKROLLED BY THE THEN DC HEAD OF THE PETROCHEMICAL GIANT, MONTEDISON, MONTANELLI
CREATED IL NUOVO
GIORNALE WHICH MOVED TO FILL THE RIGHT-CENER VACUUM BEING
DESERTED BY THE CORRIERE.
11. MEANWHILE, ITALY'S MOST POWERFUL PUBLISHING HOUSE,
ARNALDO MONDADORI, WITH ABOUT A THIRD OF THE TOTAL BOOK AND
PERIODICAL MARKET, CREATED A TABLOID FORMAT DAILY TO COMPETE
WITH CORRIERE ON THE LEFT. FINANCED HALF BY THE
PUBLISHER MONDADORI AND HALF BY THE OWNER OF THE WEEKLY EXPRESSO (AND
REPUTEDLY BENEFITING FROM AGNELLI MONEY) LA REPUBBLICA RAPIDLY
BECAME THE DAILY FOR THE LEFT INTELLIGENTSIA. ITS CIRCULATION
SEEMED STUCK BELOW 100,000 WHILE THE GIORNALE EXCEEDED THAT
BY ABOUT HALF.
12. THE COMMUNIST PARTY DAILY, L'UNITA', PUBLISHES IN BOTH
ROME AND MILAN WITH EDITORIAL FUNCTIONS SHARED SINCE THE
CLOSING OF A PUBLISHING UNIT IN GENOA. BUT THE MILAN
OPERATION IS THE LARGER AND HAS THE GREATER CIRCULATION.
ITS MILAN EDITOR IS YOUNG INTELLECTUAL CLAUDIO PETRUCCIOLI,
REPUTEDLY CLOSE TO CHAMBER PRESIDENT PIETRO INGRAO. UNLIKE
THE OTHER MILAN PRESS, L'UNITA' DOES NOT PRETEND TO BE OTHER
THAN A PARTY NEWSPAPER - LIKE THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S
IL POPOLO OR THE SOCIALISTS AVANTI* STILL, THE READER CANNOT
ASSUME THAT WHATEVER IT PUBLISHES IS PARTY POLICY. THE
COMMUNIST PARTY IS SO LARGE, THE ISSUES WITH WHICH IT MUST
DEAL DAILY ARE SO VARIED AND THE ABILITY OF A MASS PARTY TO
ENUNCIATE A POSITION ON EVERY ISSUE AS IT EMERGES SO REMOTE,
THAT EVEN WERE L'UNITA TO TRY TO PRINT ONLY SANCTIONED INTERPRETATIONS, IT PROBABLY COULD NOT DO SO.
STILL IT VIEWS THE
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03

MILAN 01952 02 OF 02 210241Z

NEWS IN PARTY TERMS, AND LIKE ITS NON PARTY CONFRERES, CONSIDERS
ITSELF AT LEAST AS MUCH A MAKER AS A REPORTER OF THE NEWS.
13. DURING THE PAST 18 MONTHS THIS SCENE HAS EVOLVED SIGNIFICANTLY.
14. CORRIERE HAS SWUNG BACK TOWARD CENTER AND AGAIN BECOME
A PRO-GOVERNMENT AND FOR THE FIRST TIME A PRO-CHRISTIAN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY PAPER. IL GIORNALE HAS LOST ITS MONTEDISON
MONEY BUT REMAINS RIGHT OF CENTER, ANTI-CLERICAL AND ANTIMARXIST, BUT SO LOOSE WITH ITS OBJECTIVITY
THAT IT HAS LOST
MUCH OF ITS INITIAL PROMISE AND MUCH OF ITS IMPORTANCE.
LA REPUBBLICA HAS NEVER PRETENDED TO BE OBJECTIVE, EXCEPT
IN ITS PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISING, BUT HAS BECOME SOMEWHAT MORE
RELIABLE SINCE FORMER CORRIERE EDITOR OTTONE HAS BECOME
CHAIRMAN OF ITS BOARD AND HIS RIGHT HAND MAN, GIANPAOLO PANSA
FROM THE CORRIERE, HAS BECOME A DEPUTY EDITOR.
15. THE DECISIVE FACTOR IN ALL THE MILAN PRESS IS THE

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014
FINANCING. THAT IS NEVER QUESTIONED WITH RESPECT TO COMMUNIST
PARTY-OWNED L'UNITA. CORRIERE DID A POLITICAL ABOUT-FACE
WHEN ITS OWNER DESPERATELY NEEDED MONEY WHICH GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED
BANKS MADE AVAILABLE. THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE FINANCING
WAS CONDITIONED ON A MORE FAVORABLE ORIENTATION TOWARD THAT
FACTION INTHE CRHISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY ABLE TO TURN THE
FUNDS ON - AND OFF. THIS MEANS THAT THE CORRIERE DOES NOT
FAVOR ALL CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS AND DISFAVOR ALL OTHERS.
RATHER TAHT IT FAVORS THE ANDREOTTI GROUP AND WHICHEVER
OF ITS POLITICAL PARTNERS ARE FROM TIME TO TIME IN GOOD
ODOR. GIVEN ITS WIDE CIRCULATION AND INFLUENCE, IT IS PROBABLY
FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS REVERSAL OF ATTITUDE TOWARD THE CHRISTIAN
DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS DONE AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER SINGLE FACTOR
TO IMPROVE THAT PARTY'S IMAGE AND PROSPECTS.
16. CORRIERE'S DEPENDENCE UPON CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
LARGESSE IS NOT WELCOME AT THE CORRIERE. THE LARGELY LEFT
OF CENTER PRINTING STAFF IS UNHAPPY AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04

MILAN 01952 02 OF 02 210241Z

BUT SO ARE AT LEAST SOME OF THE EDITORIAL STAFF AS WELL.

ONE STAR CORRESPONDENT CONTENDS THAT EDITOR DI BELLA IS
MORE SKITTISH ABOUT PLEASING THE DC THAN OWNER RIZZOLI
HIMSELF AND THIS DICTATES A ZIG-ZAG ORIENTATION AS THE
PAPER TRIES TO FOLLOW THE MANEUVERING OF THE ANDREOTTI
GOVERNMENT TO STAY AFLOAT.
17. WHILE MONTANELLI'S NUOVO GIORNALE PROBABLY CANNOT BE
INFLUENCED ON MAJOR ISSUES BY FINANCING BECAUSE OF MONTENELLI'S
FIERCELY HELD VIEWS, IT DEPENDS ON VARIOUS ANGELS, A VERY
IMPORTANT ONE OF WHICH IS A GROUP OF FINANCIERS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE POWERFUL NOVARA BANCA POPOLARE. ANOTHER IS THE
WEALTHY, YOUNG AND AMBITIOUS CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC BUILDING
MAGNATE, SILVIO BERLUSCONI. DESPITE MONTANELLI'S INSISTENCE
THAT HIS PAPER IS NOT LOSING CIRCULATION, THE CONTRARY IS
THE GENERALLY-HELD VIEW WHICH WE CANNOT VERIFY.
18. AS FOR IL GIORNO, ALTHOUGH SAID TO HAVE ACIRCULATION
OF ABOVE 200,000, IT IS IN WORSENING FINANCIAL TROUBLE.
ITS OWNER, ENI, SUFFERED ANOTHER REFVERSE WHEN MONTANELLI
PULLED HIS PRINTING WORK OUT OF THE OLD FASHIONED ENI-OWNED
PRINTING FIRM WHICH ALSO PRINTS IL GIORNO. IN VIEW OF ITS
CONTINUING LOSSES, THERE ARE RUMORS OF A SHAKE-UP TO INSTALL
PHOTOCOMPOSITION AND CUT ITS ALMOST 700 MAN TECHNICAL STAFF
AND REDUCE ITS EDITORIAL TEAM FROM 130 TO ABOUT 100.
WHETHER THAT WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR A STATE OWNED CORPORATION
TO DO WITH A NEWSPAPER STAFF HEAVILY COMMITTED TO GROUPS TO
THE LEFT OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, REMAINS TO BE PROVEN.
19. WHILE THE CORRIERE REMAINS THE MOST RELIABLE OF THE

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

FOUR MAJOR GENERAL COVERAGE NATIONAL DAILIES, IT LIKE
IL NUOVO GIORNALE, LA REPUBBLICA AND L'UNITA NEEDS TO BE
READ WITH A CONSTANT ATTENTIN TO ITS NEW BIAS. TODAY
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 05

MILAN 01952 02 OF 02 210241Z

EACH OF THESE DAILIES CONSIDERS ITSELF AS MUCH A PARTICIPANT

IN NATIONALY POLITICS AS A REPORTER OF THEM. AND THAT LEADS
 NOT ONLY TO SELECTIVE NEWS COVERAGE BUT ALSO TO THE
SLANTING OF OCVERAGE AS WELL.
20. WE EXPECT SUCH PRACTICES IN OUR OWN PRESS AND LEARN
MORE OR LESS SUCCESSFULLY TO CORRECT FOR THEM. AND WE KNOW
WHICH OF OUR OWN PRESS CAN BE EXPECTED TO HANDLE ITS COVERAGE
AND REPORTING IN A RELATIVELY OBJECTIVE MANNER.
21. BUT IN THE CASE OF THESE POWERFUL ITALIAN DAILIES, THE
FOREIGN READER SHOULD KNOW THAT ALL MUST BE READ WITH THE
FOREKNOWLEDGE THAT TODAY THEY ARE ALL MORE CONCERNED WITH
PRACTICING POLITICS THAN WITH REPORTING THEM. IT IS IN ORDER
TO BRING THEIR BIASES UP TO DATE THAT WE HAVE SUMMARIZED
THEIR POSTURES AS A NEW YEAR APPROACHES.
FINA

CONFIDENTIAL

NNN

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

Sheryl P. Walter Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014

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