A profession of faith for journalism by the sea. More reflection than silence at the Silent Reading Party held last night at the Abi d'Oru Hotel on the Gulf of Marinella, Porto Rotondo, to celebrate the 160th anniversary of Il Sole 24 Ore. A reflection on the need for journalism as a compass for orientation in a world dominated by disposable information, led by Il Sole 24 Ore Deputy Editor Roberto Iotti and L'Unione Sarda Editor Emanuele Dessì.
In the room overlooking the beach, a large audience of professionals, entrepreneurs, and guests of the hotel chosen for the evening, one of the historic symbols of elite tourism in Gallura, gathered. Diana Zuncheddu, CEO of the Abi d'Oru Hotel, opened the event. "We're happy that print media is alive and well and with us, here on the seashore. The sea encourages reflection," she said. "Journalists write and elaborate the news we read the next day. It's a daily effort, a work of human intelligence that helps us understand this world that now seems to have gone mad, where everyone seems to be talking nonsense, and which journalists should help us decipher."
The Union group
The front page of L'Unione Sarda flashes across the screen, illustrated by editor Emanuele Dessì. "Today we're featuring a commentary by Claudio Cerasa, tomorrow we'll read Bruno Vespa; all opinions are expressed on our pages," Dessì said. "We are the pharmacists of information, and this gives credibility to our group: the newspaper, the website, Videolina, Radiolina, and the latest addition, Unione TV. Every day, a million Sardinians contact us. We were the first in Europe to use the web, in 1994, and second in the world after the Washington Post." The collaborative relationship between L'Unione and Il Sole is also endorsed by the press: "We're happy that Il Sole is one of the 14 dailies that come out every night from our press center."
Reading the Sun
Roberto Iotti guides the audience through the front page of Il Sole 24 Ore. The most prominent section is devoted to the Middle East, "not only for humanitarian reasons but also for its relevance on the international scene." Then, beyond taxes, there's the Milan case. "We have an interview with former mayor Albertini, to understand the crisis of the Milan model, although we won't delve into the merits of the issue until a ruling is issued. Albertini describes his management of the construction industry when he was mayor; he had an open dialogue with the prosecutor's office and a strong coalition that isn't there today." Il Sole 24 Ore takes a cautious stance on tariffs: "Unfortunately, there's no certainty yet, and until there's solid data, it's pointless to speculate. What's certain is that where there's business, there's diplomacy, and that's not what Trump is doing right now."
The 160 years
The 160th anniversary celebrations of Il Sole 24 Ore began with the Trento Economics Festival and focus on the prospects of information. "Readers who buy the newspaper seek clarity when we are bombarded with news," Iotti continued: "The common reader asks himself a question: is what I read true or not? It's a question we've been asking for a long time, ever since social media eroded newspaper space. But we have the ability and desire to delve deeper." An example is the photo of Obama being arrested: "Clearly false, but how many people in the world thought it was true? And how violent is that video? This shows us the disruptive power that artificial intelligence will have. Newspapers have this important function. And I believe that Il Sole's 160-year history and L'Unione's 135 are a strength to demonstrate our credibility."
The questions
Reading the newspaper brings new reflections and questions from the public. On education: "Italy has neglected technical training," observes the deputy editor, "India has millions of engineers and mathematicians. We have far fewer. And it's a problem they haven't wanted to address." And it's deeply intertwined with the demographic decline. Artificial intelligence: "We dedicate a lot of space to this now crucial topic. As a newspaper, we have long since adopted a code of ethics and assure readers that we do not use AI for journalistic content."