The Messaggero Veneto’s 80th anniversary exhibition: experience it in English

→ ROOM NO. 1

24 MAY 1946: FRIULI HAS ITS OWN VOICE

1946

The idea of “creating a daily newspaper featuring the various key figures of the Friuli economic world” took shape in the centre of Udine, specifically in Via Zanon no. 16, in the office of lawyer Eugenio Linussa. The founders of the «Messaggero» newspaper were the Counts d’Attimis Maniago, de Puppi, di Prampero, Orgnani, Kechler, Cavarzerani di Nevea, the lawyer Feliciano Nimis, and representatives of the Manin family of Passariano.

The first issue was published on 24 May 1946. It cost 4 lire. It consisted of two pages, increased to four from 23 March 1947. The Messaggero Veneto», a morning newspaper, was based in Friuli and distributed as far as Gorizia, in what was then known as Zone A, under Allied Military Government. As highlighted in the subheading, the «Quotidiano delle Tre Venezie» aimed to serve as a source of information extending well beyond the Friuli region, reaching as far as Eastern Veneto.

It was edited by Enrico Mascilli Migliorini, former editor-in-chief of the underground newspaper «Veneto liberale».

UNDER THE SIGN OF VIA CARDUCCI, THE BIRTHPLACE OF JOURNALISM

1947–1967

In 1946, the publisher of the «Messaggero» newspaper purchased the building at no. 7 Via Carducci, formerly the home of the printing press for the fascist newspaper «Il Popolo del Friuli». The National Liberation Committee also used the machinery to print its own newspaper, «La libertà», until its closure in 1947.

The editorial offices of the «Messaggero» took root across the region: Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, Trieste and (from the 1980s) Monfalcone too. There were three local editions.

Enrico Mascilli Migliorini stepped down as editor-in-chief in December 1947 and moved to Naples to join the editorial team of «L’Opinione», a newspaper edited by Benedetto Croce. Carlo Tigoli, formerly head of the editorial office of the Trieste edition of «Messaggero», was appointed his successor: he remained in the post until his sudden death on 21 March 1965.

This was followed by the appointment of an acting editor-in-chief in the person of the managing editor Isi Benini. It was a temporary arrangement, lasting from 23 March to 31 December 1965. On 1 January of the following year, Vittorino Meloni took over as editor-in-chief: he would lead the «Messaggero» for a full twenty-seven years, until 30 September 1992.

THE OFFSET REVOLUTION BEGAN IN FRIULI

7 April 1968

On 7 April 1968, Prime Minister Aldo Moro inaugurated the printing plant of the newspaper called the «Messaggero Veneto» at no. 290 Viale Palmanova: it was he who pressed the button to start the rotary press for the printing of the first issue of the revamped newspaper.

At this time, the «Messaggero» was the first example in Italy of a printing plant using the offset process for the production of daily newspapers. It was also the first in Europe to employ magnetic tape typesetting machines with IBM electronic memory.

This revolution, strongly championed by editor-in-chief Vittorino Meloni, marked the definitive shift from “lead” to electronics, propelling Friuli to the forefront of international publishing.

The choice of offset printing guaranteed a level of print clarity and production speed never seen before, enabling the newspaper to respond promptly to the challenges of a rapidly changing society. The building on Viale Palmanova, designed by the Udine-based architect Gino Valle, thus became a symbol of industrial and civil progress, a technological laboratory where the future of information took shape in real time.

→ ROOM NO. 2

THE ARRIVAL OF DIGITAL, BEYOND LEAD AND PAPER

1978–1986

In the autumn of 1978, exactly ten years after the first major technological turning point, the second leap into the future appeared to be a natural evolution, almost an inevitable step dictated by the changing times. Whilst 1968 had marked the definitive end of the use of lead, 1978 launched the decisive attack on the use of paper.

The arrival of the first video terminals in the newsroom and the print shop led to the adoption of a new tool and the beginning of a profound transformation in the way daily work was conceived.

Under the visionary leadership of Vittorino Meloni, the newspaper embarked on a path of modernisation that required a radical shift in mindset on the part of journalists and printers.

This was not a futile race for technological supremacy, as the journalist Gianpaolo Carbonetto emphasised, but rather a “search for better results, both in terms of product quality and the optimisation of time and the cost-revenue ratio”. This efficiency became the lifeblood for tackling the challenges of an increasingly dynamic and competitive information market.

However, the 1978 revolution was not an end point, but the driving force behind constant progress. The «Messaggero» continued to invest in innovation: new electronic typesetting systems, digital “page-layout” machines, a state-of-the-art rotary press and the scanner—a machine that was highly sophisticated at the time, capable of automating the colour selection of photographs in a very short time.

These technological breakthroughs transformed the newspaper into a national benchmark of excellence, attracting the attention of the country’s highest-ranking officials.

UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF SERGIO GERVASUTTI, NEWS WENT ONLINE

1992–1999

On 1 October 1992, a new era began for the «Messaggero Veneto» with the arrival of Friuli-born Sergio Gervasutti, as editor-in-chief. Under his management, the newspaper underwent a profound structural transformation, aimed at keeping pace with the rapid changes in an increasingly discerning readership. In 1993, the dual-section format was introduced: a bold editorial decision that separated the main strands of national and international news from a section dedicated exclusively to local affairs, with three distinct editions for the regions of Udine, Pordenone and Gorizia.

The very form and layout of the news changed: the page shifted from the traditional nine columns to the more modern eight, with a more spacious and readable design. The real revolution, however, took place in the newsroom.

Thanks to digital innovation, work at the desk changed radically: for the first time, journalists worked with the page in real time, typing headlines and captions as they went and accessing an integrated archive of text and images online. With this shift, technical intermediaries disappeared and the role of the “total editor” emerged, capable of managing the entire production cycle.

The decade ended with an industrial turning point that propelled the newspaper onto the national stage. In 1998, engineer Carlo Melzi sold his shares to the Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso. The «Messaggero Veneto» thus became part of the Finegil network, joining a prestigious group of eighteen local newspapers.

This merger gave the newspaper unprecedented structural strength, enabling it to retain its Friuli identity whilst benefiting from the synergies and resources of one of Europe’s leading publishing hubs.

THE NEW LOOK OF THE «MESSAGGERO»

2000–2014

The new millennium began with a spirit of change: on 12 April 2000, the new owners entrusted the management to Sergio Baraldi, who led the paper until handing over the reins to his deputy, Andrea Filippi. Under Filippi’s management, the newspaper faced a momentous challenge in responding to new reading habits: on 22 March 2011, the «Messaggero Veneto» debuted in tabloid format.

The reduction in size was accompanied by a profound transformation: the newspaper became full colour, the page count increased significantly (up to eighty pages in the Sunday edition) and the layout, already revamped in 2010, became dynamic and modern. This technological leap was made possible by the inauguration of the new, state-of-the-art printing press at the 3,500-square-metre facility in Sant’Andrea di Gorizia.

At the same time, the newspaper accelerated its digital efforts. Whilst the first online experiments date back to the late 1990s, the real turning point came in 2009 with the launch of an advanced web portal. The platform, initially published weekly, became an unmissable daily appointment from July 2011.

With the arrival of Omar Monestier as editor-in-chief on 13 March 2012, the push towards social and multimedia content became overwhelming. This strategic vision continued under Tommaso Cerno, and the «Messaggero» turned into a true cross-media brand: an information ecosystem where news flew ceaselessly from print to the web.

This journey towards editorial excellence and technological advancement found stability and new momentum with Monestier’s return to the helm of the newspaper on 1 December 2014, strengthening the link between Friuli tradition and global innovation.

THE BLUE REVOLUTION OF «NOI MV»

2017

In June 2017, the «Messaggero Veneto» launched one of the boldest and most distinctive communication campaigns in its recent history. Taking centre stage was a surreal image, capable of breaking with traditional visual conventions: a blue hen caught in the act of laying three eggs. It was the face of «Noi Mv», the platform created to transform the reader from a passive spectator into an active protagonist, a producer of stories, tips and content. The use of this symbolic animal played on a subtle layering of meanings. Firstly, its exceptional nature: the colour blue transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary. It stated that «Noi Mv» was not merely a column, but a project that defied traditional editorial conventions – an innovation that stood out from the local scene. Secondly, roots and practicality: the hen, queen of Friuli farmyards, embodied rural tradition and the culture of “doing”.

Choosing it meant speaking the language of the area through a modern, pop-inspired visual style, whilst remaining true to a pragmatic and authentic identity. Thirdly, generosity: just as the animal gives constantly, so the loyal reader enriched the newspaper every day. In an age dominated by information overload, the eggs symbolised the purity of news that came from the bottom up: every post or photo shared was a seed of life that helped the newspaper to flourish.

The «Messaggero Veneto» modernised its image without betraying its Friuli roots. Reading the newspaper became an act of belonging to a “hard-working family”, confirming that a daily newspaper’s most precious resource remains, today more than ever, its community. With this project, the «Messaggero Veneto» thus became the first newspaper of the then L’Espresso Publishing Group to trial a paywall, introducing premium content reserved for subscribers, including dedicated newsletters, long-form articles, video investigations and editorial meetings.

THE NEM ERA AND THE MULTIMEDIA FUTURE

2023–present

2023 marked a structural turning point for the «Messaggero Veneto» when NEM – Nord Est Multimedia purchased the newspaper.

This corporate transition placed the newspaper within a new integrated publishing hub, aimed at promoting the local area’s historic voices through technological investments and multimedia synergies.

Under the editorship of Luca Ubaldeschi, and subsequently under Paolo Possamai with Paolo Mosanghini as co-editor, the newspaper underwent a significant transformation in terms of its formats and style. The adoption of a “digital-first” editorial model enabled the delivery of news in real time, complementing traditional print publications with new tools such as themed newsletters, podcasts and a strategic social media presence. The recent redesign of the print edition and website responds to the need for clearer, more accessible reading across all platforms. Eighty years after its foundation, the «Messaggero Veneto» now presents itself as an information hub capable of combining the authority of investigative journalism with expert voices that can guide readers in deciphering the complexities of the present. All this through the potential of global digital distribution.

FIRST FLOOR
 

→ SALONE NOBILE

IDENTITY ON THE FRONT PAGE

A journey through the news, via a selection of iconic front pages, invites us to engage directly with our collective memory, celebrating the daily newspaper as a compass for a community constantly on the move.

The journey begins on 24 May 1946, with the newspaper’s launch in the difficult post-war period, and traces the major turning points of the last century: the return of Trieste to Italy (1954), the gathering of the Alpini in Udine (1974 and 2023: these are two of the four gatherings in the city, alongside those of 1983 and 1996) and Udinese’s historic qualification for the Champions League (2005). The pages reflect the evolution of a borderland that has become the heart of Europe: from the 1992 call for peace to President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi’s recognition of the “Friuli miracle” (2002), right up to the historic removal of borders in 2007.

The narrative then becomes a chronicle of the present and a personal memoir: the foundation of the «Noi Messaggero Veneto» community (2017), the pain of the pandemic (2020) and the emotional farewell in 2022 to editor Omar Monestier, the newspaper’s authoritative and passionate leader.

The journey continues with the re-election of President Sergio Mattarella (2022) and the Olympic bids for Paris 2024 and Milano-Cortina 2026, right up to the account of terrible events such as the Natisone tragedy (2024).

With its entry into the Nord Est Multimedia Group (2023), the «Messaggero Veneto» established itself as the beating heart and technological hub of an entire region.

→ ROOM NO. 1

VITTORINO MELONI: THE ARCHITECT OF THE FUTURE

For twenty-seven years, from 1966 onwards, Vittorino Meloni managed the «Messaggero Veneto» with extraordinary foresight. Archival photographs capture Meloni’s figure and stern gaze, whilst his most incisive editorials unfolded like walls of text, traces of a mindset that gave voice and shape to the Friuli identity in the second half of the 20th century.

Meloni was a pioneer of change; his attitude towards modernity enabled the newspaper to achieve technological milestones then considered impossible. From the earliest experiments in photocomposition through to digitisation, the Editor had the profound insight that innovation was not an end in itself, but the only means of serving with dignity a community undergoing rapid and proud growth.

He viewed the newspaper as a living organism, capable of evolving alongside its people: his leadership combined that of a militant reporter with that of a visionary, capable of listening to the local community and looking beyond national borders. Meloni transformed the newsroom into a cutting-edge laboratory, where the precision of the reporter met the courage of the enlightened entrepreneur.

His legacy remains a lesson in methodology, a bold leadership that made the newspaper a model of technical and cultural excellence.

→ ROOM NO. 2

THE FUTURE ON THE FRONT PAGE – THE MESSAGGERO SCUOLA WORKSHOP

Since 1999, Il Messaggero Scuola, a true “newsroom of tomorrow”, has represented one of the most enduring and vital initiatives of the «Messaggero Veneto». Launched as a citizenship workshop, the project transforms the daily newspaper into a training ground for democracy every week: throughout the school year, an editorial team composed exclusively of students produces a four-page supplement. It is a story “by young people, for young people”, a generational bridge that has evolved over time, now firmly established in upper secondary schools thanks to fruitful partnerships with the Fondazione Friuli in Udine and the Casa dello Studente Antonio Zanussi in Pordenone.

The aim of the initiative is not to train the journalists of the future, but to provide young people with a critical perspective to navigate the complexities of reality. Through direct experience in the newsroom, juggling deadlines and sourcing information, the students engage with the local institutional and cultural networks, transforming from mere news reporting into a vehicle for understanding daily life and the wider world.

Taking part in this programme therefore means building up a wealth of civic and interpersonal skills that goes far beyond technical journalistic training: it is a wealth of awareness that the young people will carry with them beyond the editorial “desks”, ready to engage with society as active, informed citizens capable of independent thought.

The «Messaggero Veneto» takes on the responsibility of fostering civic awareness within its community, investing in the talent and resources of the younger generation.

→ ROOM NO. 3

THE REBIRTH OF FRIULI BETWEEN DUST AND SKY

Within the embrace of a neoclassical hall, the memory of 1976 is transformed into an ethereal and vibrant substance.

The space is reimagined by a powerful visual metaphor: the walls are clad in impalpable fabrics that embrace the black and white of the «Messaggero Veneto» archive. Upon these light textures, photographs of the rubble and the earth’s cry float like a veil over history, transforming the silence of the collapses into an immersive and suspended experience.

Within this perimeter of fragments and memories, the drama shifts character the moment the gaze moves towards the centre of the room. Here, from the rubble evoked on the canvases, the colourful silhouettes of the survivors emerge: figures that detach themselves from the wall of memory to become a real presence. They are not shadows of pain, but pulsating outlines that embody “a great will to live”, a symbol of a community that refused to be buried. Almost a visual narrative of the “Friuli model”, a paradigm in which reconstruction was not merely a matter of building with stone, but also a rebirth of the spirit. The «Messaggero» demonstrates that information can become an ethical glue and a tool for social cohesion in times of need.