Arrigo Levi
Encyclopedia
Arrigo Levi is an Italian journalist, essayist and TV anchorman.
), in 1938, when he was twelve he moved to Argentina
with his family in order to escape Fascist
persecution. In Buenos Aires
he completed his studies and in 1943 he began his career in journalism, as the director of Italia libera (Free Italy).
and returned to Modena with his family, just in time to take part in the national referendum, on June 2, 1946, for the Italians to choose between Monarchy
and Republic
. At twenty, he continued his journalist career in Modena and managed the newspaper Gazzetta di Modena
for almost two years, until he chose to live in Israel
. The from 1951 to 1953, he was a correspondent from London for the Turin
daily Gazzetta del Popolo. From 1953 to 1959, he wired his pieces from Rome to the Milan
evening newspaper Corriere di Informazione.
for the Corriere della Sera
and then, until 1966, a correspondent for Il Giorno
. In 1966 he moved to RAI
, where he was the chief newscaster until 1968 (this was an innovative change on Italian TV, because previously the News were read by professional "speakers" and not by journalists). Levi returned to the press in 1969, as correspondent for the Turin
newspaper La Stampa
, a job he kept until 1973, when he became the managing director of that very newspaper and its evening edition Stampa Sera. He remained in Turin until 1978. From 1979 to 1983 he collaborated with The Times
, editing its international section. In 1988 he was appointed Chief Editor of Corriere della Sera
and from 1998 to July 3, 2007 he was Adviser for External Relations to two Italian presidents, first Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
and then Giorgio Napolitano
.
. Among these: Tam Tam (1981), Punto sette and Punto sette, una vita. Then, for Channel 5
, Tivù Tivù with Angelo Campanella
(from 1985 to 1987). Thereafter, again for RAI
: I giorni dell'infanzia (1993), Emozioni TV (1995)and Gli archivi del Cremlino (The Kremlin
Archives) (1997), a program which he also authored. In 1999, on RAI
1, he directed C'era una volta la Russia
(Once Upon A Time, Russia
).
Exile to Argentina
From a family of Jewish descent (his father Enzo was a renowned lawyer in ModenaModena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
), in 1938, when he was twelve he moved to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
with his family in order to escape Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
persecution. In Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
he completed his studies and in 1943 he began his career in journalism, as the director of Italia libera (Free Italy).
Career
After the war he left ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and returned to Modena with his family, just in time to take part in the national referendum, on June 2, 1946, for the Italians to choose between Monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
and Republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
. At twenty, he continued his journalist career in Modena and managed the newspaper Gazzetta di Modena
Gazzetta di Modena
Gazzetta di Modena is a morning daily newspaper that serves the city of Modena and its similarly named province in Italy. It is part of the Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso media conglomerate....
for almost two years, until he chose to live in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The from 1951 to 1953, he was a correspondent from London for the Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
daily Gazzetta del Popolo. From 1953 to 1959, he wired his pieces from Rome to the Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
evening newspaper Corriere di Informazione.
The important assignments
In 1960 Levi moved to Moscow. There, until 1962, he was a correspondentCorrespondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for the Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
and then, until 1966, a correspondent for Il Giorno
Il Giorno (newspaper)
Il Giorno is an Italian national newspaper based in Milan, Italy, with numerous local editions in Lombardy.- History :Founded by the Italian businessman Cino Del Duca in 1956, with the journalist Gaetano Baldacci, to challenge the newspaper Corriere della Sera...
. In 1966 he moved to RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
, where he was the chief newscaster until 1968 (this was an innovative change on Italian TV, because previously the News were read by professional "speakers" and not by journalists). Levi returned to the press in 1969, as correspondent for the Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
newspaper La Stampa
La Stampa
La Stampa is one of the best-known, most influential and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers. Published in Turin, it is distributed in Italy and other European nations. The current owner is the Fiat Group.-History:...
, a job he kept until 1973, when he became the managing director of that very newspaper and its evening edition Stampa Sera. He remained in Turin until 1978. From 1979 to 1983 he collaborated with The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, editing its international section. In 1988 he was appointed Chief Editor of Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
and from 1998 to July 3, 2007 he was Adviser for External Relations to two Italian presidents, first Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
dr. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is an Italian politician and banker. He was the 73rd Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and was the tenth President of the Italian Republic from 1999 to 2006...
and then Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano is an Italian politician who has been the 11th President of Italy since 2006. A long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and later the Democrats of the Left, he served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 1992 to 1994 and as Minister of the Interior from 1996 to...
.
Television
Besides the TV News which he led in the 60s, Levi was involved in numerous TV programs, mainly produced for RAIRAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
. Among these: Tam Tam (1981), Punto sette and Punto sette, una vita. Then, for Channel 5
Canale 5
Canale 5 is an Italian private television network of Mediaset, the media branch of Fininvest. Canale 5 was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980, based on a local channel, TeleMilano 58, founded in 1978....
, Tivù Tivù with Angelo Campanella
Angelo Campanella
Angelo Campanella was an Italian painter and engraver. He was born at Rome, and trained under Giovanni Volpato. He engraved the statues of twelve apostles found in the church of St. John Lateran; and some of the plates for Gavin Hamilton's Schola Itálica including The Presentation in the Temple...
(from 1985 to 1987). Thereafter, again for RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
: I giorni dell'infanzia (1993), Emozioni TV (1995)and Gli archivi del Cremlino (The Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
Archives) (1997), a program which he also authored. In 1999, on RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
1, he directed C'era una volta la Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(Once Upon A Time, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
).
Quote
Prizes & Recognitions
- Knight Grand CrossOmriOmri was a king of Israel, successful military campaigner and first in the line of Omride kings that included Ahab, Ahaziah and Joram.He was "commander of the army" of king Elah when Zimri murdered Elah and made himself king. Instead, the troops at Gibbethon chose Omri as king, and he led them to...
(1991) - Trento Prize for Journalism (1987)
- Luigi BarziniLuigi BarziniLuigi Barzini is the name of:* Luigi Barzini, Sr. , Italian journalist, war correspondent and writer* Luigi Barzini, Jr. , Italian-American journalist...
Prize as Best Correspondent for the year 1995 - Ischia International Journalism AwardIschia International Journalism AwardThe Ischia International Journalism Award is one of the most important Italian journalism awards. It is organized under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, the Regione Campania, the Province of Naples, the National Federation of the Italian Press and the Order of...
(2001) - Guidarello Prize (2006)