Editor-in-chief Mentana: “I’ve spoken to Rai. To Mediaset? Why not?”

What if Pier Silvio Berlusconi’s miracle, following the drama series about Carlo Acutis with its heavenly viewing figures, were actually this? Editor Mentana, are you heading to Mediaset or Rai? “Wherever you like?”. It would be brilliant at Rai… shall we run the headline ‘Mentana’s return’? “I’ve spoken to the Rai executives.” But perhaps you’ll stay at La 7, which FdI calls ‘the Sect’. Are you staying at La 7 or not? “I’m clearing out everything I had in my office.” So, are you going to Mediaset? “Mediaset? Why not?” And do you get on with Mauro Crippa, “the necessary evil”, the news director? “I’ll just get on with my work. Bye for now.” Let’s give Crippa a ring…

Dear Crippa, is Mentana returning to Mediaset? “As Pier Silvio says, our doors are always open here. Mentana is a pillar of television, the only one capable of innovating”. We had intended to write an article on Pier Silvio Berlingueroni’s ‘purges’ and discovered that Mentana does indeed have a chance of returning to Mediaset (although he is also in talks with Rai), that the Mentana–Crippa partnership could be rekindled, and that the best Pier is the one on television, the mega-boss of MFE. Call it that: MediaForEurope. The revival of La ruota della fortuna was his idea; the drama series about Saint Acutis, which achieved an audience share of over thirty per cent, is another of Pier Silvio’s ideas, as he now dreams of ‘uplifting’ television. Let us return to Mentana, the editor-in-chief of Tg La7 who holds a special place in Pier Silvio’s (and Meloni’s) heart, stopped in the street ‘under cover of darkness’ – or rather, under cover of a quick dash. Editor-in-chief, if you go to Mediaset, will you take Crippa’s place? ‘I’m not taking anyone’s place’. We had imagined the piece as follows: the king of television falls, the most powerful man after Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni (praise be to Siddharta). Headline: Mauro Crippa falls. It is the end of an era. Postponed. For those unfamiliar with Crippa, suffice it to say he is the man who has run Mediaset for thirty years, ‘the puppet master’, the man Meloni calls when she sees Ranucci going off the rails on Bianca Berlinguer’s show. Rumours from inside Mediaset: ‘In truth, Pier Silvio has even promoted him to director of European communications.’ So, no purge? The Mediaset journalist, who has to deal with Milo Infante (“for goodness’ sake, brilliant, but what a character!”), advises us to talk about just how good Berlingueroni is and how, quietly, quietly, slowly, slowly, Berlingueroni I has enthroned himself: our sovereign of European television. Remember Gina Nieri, the manager who handled Mediaset’s institutional relations, the only woman who could save Ilva? Well, since this summer she’s been a senior adviser, working as a consultant. And Fidel Confalonieri? Take a look at the map of the new MFE power structure, because when Mediaset changes, the right changes, and the workings of governments change. Fidel Confalonieri’s name appears in such small print that a magnifying glass is required: ‘Chairperson’. The move took place at the end of July, but its consequences are only now becoming clear. In essence, Pier Silvio Berlingueroni has selected his ‘fantastic seven’, and Crippa remains the sole link with the previous era: Crippa, the philosopher of ‘loving is a weakness’. Gina Nieri’s responsibilities (Meloni – she’s the one who could take Urso’s place as minister…) have been taken over by Niccolò Querci. In effect, he’s Berlingueroni’s Giorgetti. The other extremely powerful figure is Marco Giordani, who now (also) manages the staff. Pasquale Straziota has been promoted to legal affairs, while Stefano Sala heads up marketing – which, in plain terms, means he is the highest-paid manager. They do not reveal much, but picture Palazzo Chigi and the undersecretaries to the Prime Minister, and you will have a clear picture. Federico Dei Chio (International Strategic Marketing Director) and Simone Sole (Chief Financial Officer) have been promoted. The seventh member is Giorgio Restelli, Deputy Director-General of Entertainment and Artistic Resources. While commentators were penning critical articles about Pier Silvio’s political foray, Berlingueroni secured the Infante (Milo) appointment, and Sabrina Scampini was transferred to Il Diario del Giorno, where she now handles off-air segments. At Mediaset, they refer to it as a ‘multi-faceted’, ‘non-simplistic’ television channel, one that does not merely mobilise the centre-right. In short, it appears that Crippa will remain in place, and that Berlingueroni is producing television so successful that it is even winning over Mentana. Don’t worry, Faraone Cairo: you still have Giovanni Floris (who also remains the dream of Berlingueroni and Crippa). A question for the mega-editor Crippa: is it true that you like Floris? “Ah, a top-class talent.” Berlingueroni is giving you a wide-ranging line-up: the drama series Acutis, Mentana’s return and the ever-cheerful (with his flask) Mauro Corona. Saints, marathon runners and drinkers.