RAI to open public forum on ways to change broadcaster

Rome, April 20 - Industry Ministry Undersecretary for Communications Antonello Giacomelli on Wednesday said that beginning in May, State broadcaster RAI will offer a public forum for citizens to express their ideas on changes they'd like to see. The programme is called "CambieRai" which is a play on words highlighting the name RAI within the verb for "you'll change". "For the first time in Italy the government is promoting a public consultation, CambieRai, that involves the entire country," Giacomelli said on the RAI 3 show Agorà. Meanwhile, the head of parliament's RAI oversight commission, Michele Anzaldi of the Democratic Party (PD), on Wednesday responded to RAI's new industrial plan, details of which RAI CEO Antonio Campo dell'Orto presented on Tuesday. "Advance details on the new RAI industrial plan: more directors with mega stipends, less news. Does it respect the Public Service contract?" Anzaldi tweeted. The industrial plan provides for a reduction in news broadcasts and channels, in particular RAI Sport, which would be reduced from two channels to one following the 2016 Summer Olympics.