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Rai Radio 1 Cancels Marcello Foa’s ‘Giù la Maschera’ Without Formal Notice, He Says

Foa attributes the decision to a leadership change with political pressure.

Overview

  • Foa announced on Aug. 28 that his Rai Radio 1 program was removed from the upcoming schedule and said he learned of it from media reports rather than an official call.
  • He recounted a late‑June conversation in which new Radio 1 director Nicola Rao said he would follow up, after which there was no contact.
  • The former RAI president argues the cancellation reflects a director change and longstanding political influence on public broadcaster lineups, framing the episode as a test of pluralism.
  • Foa said other shows were confirmed while his was cut, noting the program had been expanded a year ago and featured single‑topic debates with collaborators Peter Gomez, Alessandra Ghisleri and Giorgio Gandola.
  • RAI leadership and Rao have not commented in the cited coverage, and Foa says he will seek other platforms to continue his work.