Carlo Caracciolo
Encyclopedia
Don
Carlo Caracciolo di Castagneto (Florence, October 23, 1925 – Rome, December 15, 2008) was the 9th Principe di Castagneto, 4th duca di Melito and an Italian publisher. He created Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso, one of Italy's leading publishing groups. He was known as "the editor prince," referring to his aristocratic birth and elegant manner.
to Filippo Caracciolo, 8th Principe di Castagneto, 3rd duca di Melito and American
Margaret Clarke. He was a older brother to Marella Agnelli
, the wife of Fiat
chairman Gianni Agnelli
. At 18, he fought in the Italian resistance
in World War II
. After the war he attended Harvard Law School
and worked for a New York law firm that had as a partner Allen Dulles, future head of the CIA. In the United States he began to show a serious interest in publishing.
In 1951, he moved into publishing in Milan, and in 1955 set up the N.E.R. (Nuove Edizioni Romane) publishing house with the progressive industrialist Adriano Olivetti
, manufacturer of Olivetti
typewriters. In October 1955 the company founded the news magazine L'Espresso
with editors Arrigo Benedetti
and Eugenio Scalfari
.
Caracciolo was a man of the liberal left. He disdained his aristocratic title, but betrayed it in his elegance of dress and manner. He believed that a modern post-war Italian republic should be run on lay rather than religious principles, and his news outlets campaigned for reform of the laws governing divorce
and abortion
.
L'Espresso was characterized from the beginning by an aggressive investigative journalism
strongly focussed on corruption and clientelism by the Christian Democrat party. This made the main shareholder Olivetti unpopular with the ministries and large companies that were the primary customers of his main business. In 1956, with the magazine losing money, Olivetti made Caracciolo a present of the majority shareholding.
In 1976 he and Eugenio Scalfari
, with backing from the publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
, set up the daily newspaper La Repubblica
. Founded in Rome as a national newspaper and published in the novel tabloid size.
In 1984, shortly before it began to outsell the prestigious Corriere della Sera
, Caracciolo took his publishing activities to the Italian stock exchange. Four years later he sold his holdings in Editoriale L'Espresso to Mondadori. In 1990, however, he was shocked to learn that Mondadori’s heirs had sold out to Silvio Berlusconi
, whose politics he detested. After much in-fighting and litigation, the news publications were hived off into the Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso
controlled by the CIR Group
of entrepreneur Carlo De Benedetti
, of which Caracciolo remained honorary president until 2006.
In 2007, a year after he retired from the Espresso Group to become its honorary chairman, he bought a 33 percent share in he French newspaper Libération
.
He died in Rome, aged 83. According to his biographer and former co-editor of L'Espresso, Nello Ajello "he set an example for free and independent editorial content that initially seemed marginal and exclusive and instead became a major force in Italian newspaper publishing."
Don
- People :* Don , a short form of the masculine given name Donald in English, also a masculine given name in Irish* Don , a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian title, given as a mark of respect* Don, a crime boss...
Carlo Caracciolo di Castagneto (Florence, October 23, 1925 – Rome, December 15, 2008) was the 9th Principe di Castagneto, 4th duca di Melito and an Italian publisher. He created Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso, one of Italy's leading publishing groups. He was known as "the editor prince," referring to his aristocratic birth and elegant manner.
Biography
The oldest of three children, Caracciolo was born in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
to Filippo Caracciolo, 8th Principe di Castagneto, 3rd duca di Melito and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Margaret Clarke. He was a older brother to Marella Agnelli
Marella Agnelli
Marella Agnelli, born Princess Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto is an Italian socialite, style icon and wife of Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli...
, the wife of Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
chairman Gianni Agnelli
Gianni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...
. At 18, he fought in the Italian resistance
Italian resistance movement
The Italian resistance is the umbrella term for the various partisan forces formed by pro-Allied Italians during World War II...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war he attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
and worked for a New York law firm that had as a partner Allen Dulles, future head of the CIA. In the United States he began to show a serious interest in publishing.
In 1951, he moved into publishing in Milan, and in 1955 set up the N.E.R. (Nuove Edizioni Romane) publishing house with the progressive industrialist Adriano Olivetti
Adriano Olivetti
Adriano Olivetti was an Italian entrepreneur, the son of the founder of Olivetti, Camillo Olivetti....
, manufacturer of Olivetti
Olivetti
Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- Founding :The company was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti...
typewriters. In October 1955 the company founded the news magazine L'Espresso
L'Espresso
l'Espresso is an Italian newsmagazine. It is one of the two most prominent Italian weeklies, the other being Panorama. Since the latter has been acquired by right-wing tycoon and politician Silvio Berlusconi, l'Espresso enjoys the reputation of being the main politically independent newsmagazine...
with editors Arrigo Benedetti
Arrigo Benedetti
Arrigo Benedetti , was an Italian journalist and writer. He also was the editor of important news magazines: Oggi , L'Europeo , L'Espresso , and Il Mondo ....
and Eugenio Scalfari
Eugenio Scalfari
Eugenio Scalfari is an Italian journalist, editor of the news magazine L'espresso , former member of parliament in the Italian Chamber of Deputies , co-founder of the newspaper La Repubblica and its editor from 1976 to 1996.-Biography:A law graduate with a interest in journalism and politics,...
.
Caracciolo was a man of the liberal left. He disdained his aristocratic title, but betrayed it in his elegance of dress and manner. He believed that a modern post-war Italian republic should be run on lay rather than religious principles, and his news outlets campaigned for reform of the laws governing divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
and abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
.
L'Espresso was characterized from the beginning by an aggressive investigative journalism
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
strongly focussed on corruption and clientelism by the Christian Democrat party. This made the main shareholder Olivetti unpopular with the ministries and large companies that were the primary customers of his main business. In 1956, with the magazine losing money, Olivetti made Caracciolo a present of the majority shareholding.
In 1976 he and Eugenio Scalfari
Eugenio Scalfari
Eugenio Scalfari is an Italian journalist, editor of the news magazine L'espresso , former member of parliament in the Italian Chamber of Deputies , co-founder of the newspaper La Repubblica and its editor from 1976 to 1996.-Biography:A law graduate with a interest in journalism and politics,...
, with backing from the publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore
Arnoldo Mondadori Editore is the biggest publishing company in Italy.-History:Founded by the 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori in 1907 to publish the magazine titled Luce!, it soon became an important publisher. Its headquarters are in Milan....
, set up the daily newspaper La Repubblica
La Repubblica
la Repubblica is an Italian daily general-interest newspaper. Founded in 1976 in Rome by the journalist Eugenio Scalfari, as of 2008 is the second largest circulation newspaper, behind the Corriere della Sera.-Foundation:...
. Founded in Rome as a national newspaper and published in the novel tabloid size.
In 1984, shortly before it began to outsell the prestigious 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 :...
, Caracciolo took his publishing activities to the Italian stock exchange. Four years later he sold his holdings in Editoriale L'Espresso to Mondadori. In 1990, however, he was shocked to learn that Mondadori’s heirs had sold out to Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
, whose politics he detested. After much in-fighting and litigation, the news publications were hived off into the Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso
Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso
Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso S.p.A. is an Italian Media conglomerate, founded in 1955 and based in Rome, Italy and listed on the Italian Stock Exchange.- Shareholding :* CIR Group - 50,852%* Carlo Caracciolo - 10,008%...
controlled by the CIR Group
CIR Group
CIR Group is the industrial holding company of the De Benedetti Group, controlled by COFIDE — Gruppo De Benedetti, the financial holding company of the De Benedetti family....
of entrepreneur Carlo De Benedetti
Carlo De Benedetti
Carlo De Benedetti is an Italian industrialist, engineer and publisher. He is both an Italian and naturalized Swiss citizen....
, of which Caracciolo remained honorary president until 2006.
In 2007, a year after he retired from the Espresso Group to become its honorary chairman, he bought a 33 percent share in he French newspaper Libération
Libération
Libération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
.
He died in Rome, aged 83. According to his biographer and former co-editor of L'Espresso, Nello Ajello "he set an example for free and independent editorial content that initially seemed marginal and exclusive and instead became a major force in Italian newspaper publishing."