Ranucci to move to RaiNews after being removed from Report

(ANSA) - ROME, 20 OTT - Sigfrido Ranucci said Tuesday that he has accepted the position of deputy director of RaiNews after State broadcaster Rai removed him from the helm of its investigative journalism programme Report over his relationship with a businessman who organized a bombing at his home last year. Valter Lavitola, a former Berlusconi extortionist and restaurateur, has confessed to organizing the bombing outside Ranucci's home, which destroyed two of his family's cars. He said the aim was to have the reporter's police escort beefed up. Rome prosecutors have said they think the bombing was aimed at boosting Ranucci's popularity with a view to a possible entry into politics from which Lavitola hoped to benefit. The job at RaiNews, which runs the Rai News 24 all-news 24-hour-a-day channel and the Rainews.it website, was one of three Ranucci was offered after being axed from Report. The others were a role at TG3 news and a post as a foreign correspondent in Cairo. Ranucci has launched a legal challenge against the decision to remove him from Report. A Rome labour court recently rejected Ranucci's petition for the removal to be reversed pending the outcome of its ruling on the case. He is also appealing against a 10-day suspension he was handed this month for alleged breaching Rai's regulations. The reasons for the 'disciplinary' action included him sending company emails to Lavitola and the denigration of the two journalists initially selected to replace him at Report. (ANSA).
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