Freedom of the Press in Italy

This chapter provides an overview of the legal framework in relation to freedom of the press within the Italian Republic, a framework that is directly the result of the history of the country and, in particular, of the tragic experience of the Fascist era. Section 2 analyses precisely how the end of the Second World War, and the consequent creation of the Italian Republic, represented a turning point for the development of fundamental rights and liberties on the peninsula, including freedom of the press. Section 3 focuses on a fundamental institution that complements the general legal framework on the journalistic profession, that is, the reformed Order (and Registry) of Journalists. Section 4 and section 5 address some of the main privileges and rights, as well as the duties and responsibilities, that are inherently connected to the exercise of such a freedom, underscoring the main issues and challenges in the contemporary framework. Most notably, as described in section 6, significant challenges have arisen connected to the applicability of those privileges, rights, duties and responsibilities to the digital landscape. Finally, section 7 briefly explores some of the main measures adopted by the Italian authorities with respect to the promotion of diversity and pluralism, notably, on the one hand, the introduction of anti-trust regulation and, on the other, the deployment of economic and financial assistance aimed at sustaining, in particular, smaller news outlets.