# Rai viewership and management controversy > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/rai-viewership-and-management-controversy > Updated: 2026-10-20T11:40:38.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2. Italian public broadcaster Rai is facing significant scrutiny following low Auditel viewership ratings for several prime-time programs, including ‘Filorosso’ and ‘Patù’. The Democratic Party (PD) has criticized the network’s management, labeling certain shows “bad products” and a “waste of money,” while accusing leadership of prioritizing political narratives over audience engagement. Labor unions Usigrai and Unirai have also expressed dissatisfaction, with Usigrai characterizing programming choices as “failures of the Rai leadership.” Journalist Roberto Inciocchi has addressed the declining audience share for his Rai 2 talk show, ‘Patù – La passione delle idee’, which saw viewership drop from 1.5% in its premiere to approximately 1.2% by its second episode. Inciocchi defended his journalistic integrity against accusations of bias and noted that the competitive Wednesday night time slot has contributed to the difficult results. The network continues to face challenges with other programming, such as ‘Formidabile!’, as it contends with internal competition from Rai 1 and Rai 3. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-20: Roberto Inciocchi addresses low viewership for Rai 2 program Patù Journalist Roberto Inciocchi discusses the low viewership and competitive challenges facing his new Rai 2 talk show, ‘Patù – La passione delle idee’. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/roberto-inciocchi-addresses-low-viewership-for-rai-2-program-pat ### 2026-10-14: Rai faces scrutiny over low viewership and political management Rai faces political and union criticism over low viewership for programs Filorosso and Patù, while Fermo begins expropriation of the Excelsior cinema for redevelopment. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/alessandro-di-battista-criticizes-italian-political-landscape --- Cite as: Rai viewership and management controversy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/rai-viewership-and-management-controversy