An acknowledgement of a life dedicated to journalism, information, communication ethics, pluralism and public service, always carried out with passion, professionalism and competence.
With this aim, the “Massimo Milone” Award was born in Naples, dedicated to the memory of the Neapolitan journalist, central editor-in-chief of the TGR of Campania from 2003 to 2013, director of Rai Vaticano from 2013 to 2023, president of the Catholic Union of the Italian Press (UCSI) from 2002 to 2008.
Massimo Milone
Having joined Rai in 1979, Massimo Milone has followed as a special correspondent some of the most important events in Campania and our country, from the events of the Red Brigades to the kidnapping of Ciro Cirillo, from the 1980 Irpinia earthquake to the Maradona – Sinagra case. Always involved in social and religious communication, since 2013 Milone, with the direction of Rai Vaticano, has recounted from its first act the 'revolution of communication of Pope Francis' with numerous broadcasts, some books (among others "Hello? I am Francesco", "The American Pope", "Naples. Letter to Francis" and "From the South to Italy"), numerous television specials (among others the 100 episodes of "Journey into the church of Francis") and the docuseries on the Popes of the twentieth century "The Man in White".
The first edition
The first edition of the Massimo Milone Award will take place on Monday 19 May 2025 at 17.30:XNUMX pm in the “Domenico Scarlatti” Auditorium at the Rai headquarters in Naples. “The Award aims to celebrate the excellences of our country that have distinguished themselves not only in the field of journalism but also, more generally, in institutional, social, religious, entrepreneurial, political, sporting, cultural, scientific and academic communication, in order to also transmit to young journalists the values that our father carried forward throughout his career”. This is how Andrea and Alessandro Milone, Massimo's sons, summarize the purposes with which, together with his wife Barbara Nicolaus, the Milone family wanted to create the Journalism Award.
The award
An Award that will be divided into two macro-areas dedicated respectively to journalism and communication, each with five micro-sections. The winners of the first edition for the journalism section are: (TV) Enrico Mentana, director of TG La7; (Printed media) Roberto Napoletano, director of “Il Mattino”; (In-depth analysis) Paolo Messa, founder of the magazine “Formiche”; (External relations) Rosa Maria Serrao, journalist and manager; (Emerging journalists) Ludovica Siani, vice president of the Giancarlo Siani Foundation.
For the communication section, the five winners are: (Institutions) Gaetano Manfredi, mayor of Naples and president of ANCI; (Religion) Mons. Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life; (Business) Guido Grimaldi, president of ALIS; (Culture) Antonio Mattone, writer and spokesperson for the Community of Sant'Egidio Naples; (Social) Carmela Manco, founder of Figli in Famiglia Onlus.
“When the sons Andrea and Alessandro – says the director of the Rai Production Centre in Naples, Antonio Parlati – they expressed to me their intention to create the first edition of an Award named after Massimo Milone to be hosted in what was his “home” for many years, the Rai headquarters in Campania, pleasure took over emotion. That day there will once again be the opportunity for each of us to send our minds to the memory of the years in which we shared our working days with Massimo or encountered moments of growth and challenge with him”.
“Massimo has transferred – says Stefano Ziantoni, head of Rai Vaticano – all his experience, professionalism, dedication and imagination in the structure of Rai Vaticano, adapting and daring to use a more current and immediate language to tell viewers about the Church”.
The event
The event, which will be hosted by Incoronata Boccia, deputy director of TG1, will also have a musical interlude by the internationally renowned violinist Fabrizio Von Arx, artistic director of Fondazione Casa Stradivari, a reading by Marco Mario de Notaris, Neapolitan actor and director, and a testimony by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe. The sculptures of the Prize are by the artist Lello Esposito.
The Massimo Milone Award, organized with the Media partnership of Rai Vaticano, received the patronage of Rai Campania, the Order of Journalists of Campania, the Catholic Union of the Italian Press, the University of Naples Federico II, the University of Naples Suor Orsola Benincasa, the University of Naples Parthenope, IPE – Institute for Research and Educational Activities, the Consular Diplomatic Corps of Naples, the Institute of Southern Culture, the Automobile Club of Naples, the Augustissima Arciconfraternita dei Pellegrini, the Association of Catholic Notaries, the Christian Workers Movement, the Company of the Sons, the Saturday of Ideas, Dabliu.
Of great prestige is the promoting committee made up of Gianni Ambrosino, Annalisa Angelone, Gerardo Ausiello, Maria Teresa Buccico, Aldo Carlotto, Luca Caruso, Maria Grazia Ciotola, Angelo Cirasa, Roberto Conte, Roberto Dante Cogliandro, Gianfranco Coppola, Marco Demarco, Maria Esposito, Vanni Fondi, Oreste Lo Pomo, Ottavio Lucarelli, Andrea Milone, Alessandro Milone, Procolo Mirabella, Daniela Molinaro, Barbara Nicolaus, Antonio Parlati, Armida Parisi, Antonello Perillo, Massimiliano Mizzau Perczel, Andrea Petrella, Annamaria Piccone, Enzo Piscopo, Guido Pocobelli Ragosta, Alfonso Ruffo, Antonio Sasso, Angelo Scelzo, Paolo Trapanese, Benedetto Valentino, Vincenzo Varagona, Carlo Verna, Nicola Vicenti, Stefano Ziantoni.
Article published on May 8, 2025 - 13:20 pm
I think that the Massimo Milone award is a very beautiful and important initiative to enhance journalism in Italy. It is good that the merits of those who have worked so hard in the field of communication and information are recognized.