The new strip by Bruno Vespa starts tomorrow and will be called '5 minutes', which every evening, from Monday to Friday, after the 8 pm Tg1, will tell Italy to viewers of the first Rai network.
"We start with Giorgia Meloni because traditionally when I start a new program I always invite the prime minister - explains the presenter in an interview with ANSA -. I was very impressed by her visit to Kiev, because I think has strengthened the political perspective of support for Ukraine. I would like all the leaders to pay a visit to Ukraine, because certain things have to be touched firsthand: when you see them up close, you certainly won't be indifferent. Giuseppe Conte will come next week and with Stefano Bonaccini, if he is elected secretary of the Democratic Party, we have an appointment a little further on".
Zelensky's statements about Berlusconi in the joint press conference in Kiev caused controversy. Did they seem inappropriate to you?
"Zelensky perhaps could have spared himself, but he opens to me that Meloni has pointed out that what matters is the stability of the alliance, which has always voted unitedly in favor of the measures on Ukraine. Lega and Forza Italia, however, often make distinctions Does this majority seem shaky to you? I don't see it shaky. They have large numbers in Parliament. There are different visions, but this happens in the center-left and in the center-right. It's part of the game. What matters is that they have a program and carry it forward" .
How will the program be structured? Will there always be a guest?
"The construction of the program is totally free. There will be some images to introduce the guest or the theme of the evening, but for the rest each episode will start with a blank sheet: no limitations, except that of time. It will be a totally flexible formula" .
Where will it be filmed?
"We will shoot in a corner of the Porta a Porta studio, also for a matter of practicality and cost. Tonight we will show the studio on Tg1. The team will also be from Porta a Porta, which will always maintain its position in the late evening. Everyone in the company knows that there is an imbalance in Rai's insights, also because - with the exception of TG2 Post - the only moderate voice is placed in the late evening. bipartisan in the assignment of times and spaces, it seems to me a way to guarantee rebalancing and pluralism".
There have been controversies both over possible internal competition with Marco Damilano's program on Rai3 and with the 8.30 pm Tg2
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The program will be broadcast from 20.32 to 20.37, in order not to overlap with the Horse and the Tower.
They are absolutely different audiences.
My audience is waiting for Amadeus, who will arrive soon after with his game show.
The Damilano public awaits 'A place in the sun'.
They are differently loyal worlds.
Then information freaks can see both of them.
Doubts have been raised, even in the board of directors, on the economic aspects linked to the programme.
I wonder why we talk about the economic aspects only for the Vespa.
Substantial contracts have been signed for programs that have not gone above 2%, but as soon as there is discussion of my contract, discussions arise and this has been going on for decades now.
Is it true, as we read in the press, that he has become Giorgia Meloni's most trusted advisor?
This is utter nonsense, a completely unthinkable thing.
Meloni certainly doesn't need my advice.
It is a highly coveted strip, in the band that collects the maximum audience. Even though you're a news veteran, do you feel the weight of the challenge?
Of course, it is a major challenge.
I do everything as if it were the first day, never sit down and never imagine doing anything without the right commitment and the right risk assessment.
It's a great opportunity, also because the strip was conducted by important colleagues such as Biagi, Ferrara or Battista.
Were you disappointed in the management of Zelensky's presence in Sanremo, of which you were in some way a promoter?
Let's make one thing clear: I was not the promoter.
Zelensky let us know that he wanted to come to Sanremo.
I talked about it with the CEO and together we turned to Amadeus, who informed us that he would host it on the last evening of the Festival, which I reported to Zelensky.
Sending his message at 2.15 seemed frankly excessive to me, also because shortly after he opened the Berlin Film Festival.
Maurizio Costanzo passed away in recent days, what was your relationship?
For me it was a shock because it didn't seem like he was too bad.
I went late last year to see him and he was as gracious and exquisite as ever.
A very important piece of TV, of the history of journalism, but also of entertainment, is gone.
He's had so many guests... wish I had them.
I always told him: 'you are my father', because he gave birth to the second information evening.
We were friends, we had an evening together on the occasion of the war in Kosovo, but we would have liked to have done others.