Archived Bruno's (scaled down) contract theme Vespa, awaiting trial in the Fabio case Fazio (fibrillation due to the ratings expected on the morning of 25 September and due to the attention that there could be from the Anac of Canton and the interest of the accounting judiciary, as the deputy PD Anzaldi has repeatedly recalled) and the solution of the question was complicated Gabanelli (the real problem is the online news masthead), the autumn battle has begun in Viale Mazzini and the battlefield is limited to accounts, budgetary prospects, economic resources.
The first signs of what the DG Mario Orpheus was concerned about this topic came with the statements made to the Rai Supervisory Authority in the first days of August: "There could be a budget deficit of 100 million euros for next year". He was referring to three reasons: the reduction in license fee revenue (we recall that it has fallen to 90 euros), the tendential contraction of the advertising market and the increase in spending commitments foreseen for next year due, in particular, to the costs of sports rights.
To manage this difficult situation, last Thursday, the appointment of Giuseppe Pasciucco as CFO, replacing Raffaele Agrusti, was proposed to the Rai board of directors. Other appointments and heavy chair changes are expected for the next board of directors, so Orfeo could complete his team while, among the corridors of Viale Mazzini, there are not a few who are already wondering about how long it will last.
As far as it turns out, the alarmed declarations on the accounts of DG Rai had, and still have, another interpretation. An important private meeting was scheduled for the first half of August in order to finalize a shared draft of the new Service Contract envisaged by the recently approved Convention. The appointment would not have had the expected result because both the government (Calenda, Giacomelli, Rizzo Nervo) and Rai did not agree on the "reading" of the numbers relating to the resources coming from the license fee and destined for the Service broadcasting audience. This is a key step, not only and not so much in the general setting of the contract (and its political marketability given the horizon within which it will be placed), but because this amount should be the consideration for what is requested from the Rai as a fulfillment of what is required of him. The bar for commitments is very high, the stakes are rather low and the time required to achieve the objectives is too short.
We recall the salient points on which we are discussing: at least the creation of two new channels, one in English and one institutional; reorganization of networks and warheads; reduce or remove altogether dealer from some channels; ensure 100% coverage of the radio and television signal of the national territory; support for national audiovisual productions; finally, ensure the experimentation and development of new technologies.
The front technological it is the second in importance after the financial one. In the same Council last week the name of Stefano was proposed Ciccotti as the new CTO and he too will find a good basket of knots to untie. The new service contract under discussion will certainly impact on its skills as regards precisely the thorny issue of 100% territorial coverage which is estimated, in terms of industrial costs, at over 100 million for Mux 2, 3 and 4 (currently about 92% the first two and 90% the third). Furthermore, there will certainly be the complex issue of the reassignment of frequencies around 700 Mhz on his table, which could have a significant impact on the broadcast market. Ciccotti comes from a long experience as CEO of Rai Way and knows the dossiers well and could also have a say in the matches of the listed Via Teulada (the much discussed "pole of the towers").
The picture that is painted allows us to glimpse a scene where Rai is placed in the context of an economy of pure survival, with little room for development fantasies. For 2017, according to reliable rumors, a balance close to zero is expected and for next year, as we have written, an alarming red expectancy. "The Company cannot be governed without certain and defined economic prospects" continues our finance expert interlocutor and, to get out of a short-term logic, hypothesizes that a short-term development project of the value of 3-400 would be needed millions.
"Pure science fiction" someone objects: where are the political, entrepreneurial, cultural subjects who currently have the future and destiny of Rai at heart? Also, where are these resources? It's not enough to scrape the barrel with what's already happening: containment of one of the most relevant items in the budget Rai, personnel, and massive recourse to the reduction of fixed and variable costs. Two fundamental pillars act as the balance on the Viale Mazzini accounts: the license fee, introduced by law but substantially reduced the amount, and advertising revenues. On this subject, Dal Sasso of Nielsen recently declared that "We are still moving between conflicting signals, with consumption showing fluctuating trends..." and therefore, the moral of the story, for Rai it is a question of navigation on sight. Meanwhile, the broadcast market is in full swing: the other operators seem to be particularly active both in offering new content and in broadcasting on new digital platforms.
It is difficult to imagine now what the developments on the new service contract will be with these premises. One of two things: either the requests are reduced or the resources are increased. A new encounter with the Government is expected shortly and it would be highly desirable that these contents could be publicly known, given that it directly affects whoever pays the license fee.
In the meantime, to return to the issues of the Rai offer, the delay in the digital information offer and in the reorganization of the news is growing more and more. With or without Gabanelli, the public radio and television service cannot afford it.
