Ranucci, the 150,000 euro fine cancelled by the Garante. The Court: 'Public interest

No fine was imposed on RAI for the broadcast by Report, the investigative programme on Rai3, of audios of a conversation between former Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano and his wife, journalist Federica Corsini.

A 150,000 fine that had been imposed on public television by the Privacy Guarantor, but which the Rome court decided to annul.

This was announced by host Sigfrido Ranucci in a Facebook post, saying that 'it was legitimate and in the public interest to transmit the audio. Moreover,' he adds, 'the magistrates underline the fact that the Garante carried out the investigation outside the timeframe established by the law. The Garante was wrong in content and form'.

The judgement refers to 'the public interest of the news' and, therefore, 'the legitimate exercise of journalistic reporting and criticism'. Then, entering into the merits, the court 'recognises the existence of public interest in the dissemination of the news, since the affair, although permeated by profiles of a personal nature, assumes substantial public relevance. The telephone conversations that took place between the former minister and his wife concern the issue, which is certainly of interest, relating to the possibility that the assignment of high institutional offices, instead of being inspired by the best care of the public interest, may be influenced by issues of an exquisitely personal nature'.

It all started with an episode in December 2024. Sigfrido Ranucci's programme aired a recording of a private conversation between the then Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano and his wife, allegedly surreptitiously snatched by Maria Rosaria Boccia, in which they discussed blocking a consultancy contract.