Enrico Mentana's style evolution

The United States has Seth Meyers, Italy has Enrico Mentana, and if the only difference is that the former does political satire while the latter is a journalist, it can certainly be said that both represent the background voices of the American election coverage. Tonight, the United States will elect its next President, a contested battle between Kamala Harris, the Democratic Vice President who replaced Biden during his second and final political campaign, and Donald J. Trump, who is trying to return to power for a second time after his 2016 term. The global political climate has been heated for some time, with the wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine showing no signs of abating, while the economic crisis continues to spread across most Western states. After the attempted 2021 Capitol Attack, there is heightened fear that supporters of the former Republican President might protest again in Washington. While tonight, the United States of America will discover its political fate, in Italy, documenting every twist and turn of the stars-and-stripes election will be #maratonamentana, which this time will bear the title “The American Night”. The live shows of journalist and TG LA7 director Enrico Mentana are a must for all fans of Italian and international politics, lengthy broadcasts that over the years have not only marked the history of Channel 7’s news program but also that of popular culture. Mentana himself (who has covered the U.S. elections live since 1988, when he worked at TG1) has become an icon of Italian television: along with Lilli Gruber, he has managed to make politics not only an accessible field but also a topic more thrilling than Italian politicians might make it seem.

Enrico Mentana, born in 1955, became a professional journalist in the early 1980s. In the previous decade, he was editor of the magazine Young Left and vice president of the Italian Youth Socialist Federation. Since his television debut at RAI, the journalist has been distinguished by a look characterized by large eyeglasses, gray wool suits, and large colorful ties—as was the fashion at the time. While over time the presenter's suits have become less stiff, more relaxed, with ties disappearing, replaced by open blue shirt collars or light black jackets, there are details of Mentana's style that have remained unchanged.Along with a large pair of square lenses, Italian screens have always recognized Mentana for his curly hair, maintained throughout every television phase: from TG1 to TG2, through to the founding of TG5 (1992) and the launch of Matrix, eventually arriving at the direction of TG LA7 in 2010.

Beyond his look, which has hardly changed (although he now seems to particularly favor green ties), what truly established Mentana in Italian journalism has been his commitment to transparent and innovative reporting: when, during the 2010 regional election campaign, all political talk shows were suspended, the journalist launched “Mentana Condicio - Banned on TV, Free on the Web”, a program that, since it was streamed online on the Corriere della Sera website, was not subject to regulations. With the same spirit of innovation, free from subservience, Mentana also launched the now-popular #maratonamentana on LA7, with programs covering U.S. presidential elections, Italian and European elections, and special editions for impactful events like terrorist attacks or demonstrations. Tonight, the LA7 director returns with an American marathon focused on the Harris - Trump showdown, one of the most significant international political events of recent years. From 11 p.m. tonight until the next morning, the Italian public will be able to watch live to find out who the next leader of the United States will be, whether the country will finally have its first female President or will again fall under Trump's voice, who, after the attempted assassination this summer, seems more determined than ever.