Air Force: How Enrico Galletti became one of Italy’s youngest primetime news presenters

Enrico Galletti’s voice is recognisable to more than six million listeners every day. At the age of 26, he is one of the youngest radio presenters at a major Italian news station. Monday to Thursday, the Cremona-born journalist hosts Non Stop News, the morning show on RTL 102.5, where he delivers the news. Here, he tells Monocle about what makes a good interview, why radio remains a vital medium and which books are on his nightstand.

Did you always want to be a journalist?
When I was a child, my father took me to a football match and I slipped away. He found me in the media section, watching the reporters instead of the game. I started at my local newspaper in Cremona when I was in high school, then joined the Corriere della Sera [Italy’s most-read newspaper] before starting at RTL Italia in 2019.

What drew you to radio?
I love the live element of it. There’s a thrill in narrating the news as it unfolds and knowing that on the other end there’s someone listening.

What makes radio an enduring medium?
We live in a time when we’re bombarded with information that’s not always reliable so people listen to the radio with the goal of properly understanding a topic. Our audience comes from all walks of life and wants us to get to the essence of an issue. That’s the true mission of this medium – cutting through the chaos of the news cycle.

What’s the general sentiment among young Italian journalists today?
Every young journalist has heard the depressing discourse from older colleagues that the industry isn’t what it used to be, that we shouldn’t invest too much into it and should have a plan B. It is a more difficult career now but we’re also more in need of trustworthy reporters than ever. As young journalists we don’t have to reinvent the job. We just need to adapt it to our time.

Which recent story are you most proud of?
The way that we covered the tragic fire in Crans-Montana in January left a mark. We interviewed doctors who were sharing the latest updates but also their own thoughts as they were trying to save people. For me, good journalism is about stating the facts but also sharing the emotions.

What’s the secret to a good interview?
I always draw some of my questions from our listeners’ feedback and the points that they make during live segments. This helps me to keep the conversation geared towards most Italians’ reality and preoccupations.

What are you currently reading?
On the fiction side, I have just reread Heaven and Earth by Italian writer Paolo Giordano, which I found so moving. I’m also reading Alessandro Sallusti’s volumes on the history of the Italian magistrature. This is ahead of the upcoming referendum on the Italian judiciary. It’ll help me to figure out how to explain it to our listeners.
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