 Allam began his journalistic career at the communist newspaper "Il Manifesto".In 1978, he moved to the center-left leaning Italian newspaper "La Repubblica", where he worked as a commentator, mostly writing about issues faced by extra-communitarian immigrants in Italy, especially those originating from North-Africa, and supporting progressive policies on the immigration issue and on the compatibility of Islam and Western values.In 2003, following a radical shift in his views, Magdi Cristiano Allam joined the more conservative, Milan-based "Corriere della Sera", one of Italy's oldest and largest daily newspaper, as vice-director "ad personam".