Italian news agencies including
ANSA on Friday for the first time called a 24-hour joint strike
starting at 6:00 on Saturday to protest the government's calling
a Europe-wide tender for news services, ending funding via
conventions.
In a statement, the internal unions of Ansa, AGI, ADNKronos,
Il Sole 24Ore Radiocor Plus, Askanews, Dire, Il Velino and
LaPresse apologised to authorities including President Sergio
Mattarella for striking during a summit on the 60th anniversary
of the Treaties of Rome.
But they said they had not received any response from Sports
Minister Luca Lotti on discussing ways to stop the tender going
ahead and threatening the pluralism and independence of Italy's
information and news systems.
Lotti was out of Rome skiing Friday.
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