Filippo Anastasi, journalist and writer, deputy director of the Radio Rai newspaper and head of Religious Information of Radio Rai. He has been assistant professor of Modern History at the Sapienza University of Rome, correspondent of “Il Messaggero”, editor-in-chief of the Rizzoli-Corriere della Sera group, correspondent and presenter of Tg1, deputy director of Tg2. Seventy journeys with John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Creator, author and presenter of Oggi2000, the weekly religious news of Gr1; Saint Vincent Prize and Padre Pio Prize for journalism.
The book “Scherzi in redazione” by Filippo Anastasi (All Around Editore) tells of a journalism that seems distant today. Through goliardic episodes and anecdotes, Anastasi remembers what life was like in the newsrooms, where work alternated with moments of lightness. It is an exploration of the craft between the mid-twentieth century and the seventies.
Umberto Cutolo’s preface describes a journalism in crisis today: the burlesque spirit of the pages of “Scherzi in redazione” belongs to the past. The newsrooms of the past, says Cutolo, were spaces of great freedom, and jokes were also a way to strengthen bonds between colleagues, cement complicity and play down fatigue.
In Anastasi’s book, stories emerge such as that of the “joke of the earthquake in Monte Carlo”, which involves Luciano, deputy editor-in-chief of the Messaggero, eager to travel like his fellow correspondents. When he is finally offered a trip on a cruise ship, his colleagues orchestrate a fake series of news about an earthquake in Monte Carlo, so convincing that he cancels the trip.
Anastasi explains: “In these hundred pages there is certainly nostalgia, but with many facets. I miss my professional youth, full of enthusiasm and ardour. Now, however, for young people it is full of anxiety and precariousness, including economic precariousness. I miss the friendly atmosphere of the editorial staff, which they tell me is now just a memory. I miss the punctual search for sources (people looked in the face or photocopied authentic documents), now replaced by quick searches on Instagram, Facebook or Wikipedia. I wanted to tell true stories that give the pulse of the situation of another era of journalism. Perhaps it was done to desecrate the sacredness of places and roles, but it was not perfidy, it was goliardy, without ever neglecting professional commitment”.
The book Scherzi in redazione by Filippo Anastasi, published by All Around Editore, offers a nostalgic and entertaining look at the world of journalism between the mid-twentieth century and the seventies. Anastasi, with a lively and ironic style, brings to light a time when the editorial offices were animated by a unique atmosphere, made up of professionalism but also moments of lightheartedness and goliardy.
Through anecdotes and funny episodes, the author describes a working life that today seems almost distant and unattainable. In a time before the digital age, journalism was characterized by direct interactions and more intense human relationships, with a daily life marked by a continuous exchange between serious work and jokes between colleagues.
This historical story, therefore, is not only a tribute to traditional journalism but also a cultural testimony on a way of living the profession that, unfortunately, seems to have been lost.
It tells of a journalism that seems distant today. Through goliardic episodes and anecdotes, Anastasi remembers what life was like in the newsrooms, where work alternated with moments of lightness. It is an exploration of the craft between the mid-twentieth century and the seventies.
Filippo Anastasi’s book offers a fascinating and nostalgic look at a world of journalism that has now disappeared. “Scherzi in redazione” transports us to an era in which newsrooms were not only workplaces, but real social microcosms, where the days were marked by frenetic rhythms but also by moments of great conviviality.
Anastasi paints a vivid and authentic picture of life in the newsroom, with its eccentric characters, rivalries, deep friendships and, of course, the jokes that enlivened the days.
Through anecdotes and personal memories, the author guides us on a journey through time, making us relive an era in which journalism was an artisanal craft, made up of inks, typewriters and long nights in the newsroom.
A tribute to lightness: In an increasingly hectic and technology-dominated world, Anastasi’s book is an invitation to rediscover the value of lightness, humor and the ability to enjoy small moments of joy.
Journalism as a passion: Anastasi shows us how, for many journalists of that generation, journalism was not just a job, but a real passion, a mission.
Newsrooms were places where deep and lasting relationships were built, based on mutual trust and the sharing of experiences.
The book makes us reflect on how journalism has profoundly changed over the years, under the influence of technology and new media.
It is a unique opportunity to discover how people worked in the editorial office in a bygone era.
The anecdotes told by Anastasi are funny, touching and often surprising.
The book is a journey into the past, a way to rediscover the values and atmospheres of an era that we miss.
So “Scherzi in redazione” is a book that goes beyond the simple narration of anecdotes. It is a work that invites us to reflect on our present, reminding us of the importance of human relationships, passion for one’s work and the ability to find the funny side even in the most difficult situations.