Newsgroup: it.politica
Titolo: figura da nano all'estero ?

Berlusconi not amused by satirists
Monday, October 24, 2005 Posted: 1325 GMT (2125 HKT)
Opposition leaders accuse Berlusconi of trying to censor his political  
foes.
ROME, Italy (Reuters) -- Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, anxious to  
change broadcasting laws ahead of the 2006 general election, has accused  
Italian television of systematically ridiculing both him and his  
government.
Berlusconi, whose family controls Italy's largest media group, named seven  
comedians who he said used state television firm RAI as a vehicle for  
their satirical attacks against him.
The last time Berlusconi directly named television critics, in 2002, the  
three men were swiftly banished from RAI.
Opposition leaders accused Berlusconi of seeking to censor his political  
foes as part of a wider bid to re-write Italy's political broadcasting  
rules before the election, which is expected to be held on April 9, 2006.
Berlusconi launched his latest attack on the Italian media in an interview  
for a book that is due to be published at the end of the year, with  
excerpts released at the weekend.
His ire was sparked by a show that appeared on RAI last week that included  
satirical skits against both the right and left as well as appeals for  
more freedom of speech in Italy.
Such shows would pass unobserved in most European Union countries, but in  
Italy political satire still touches a raw nerve and Berlusconi said he  
was too often the butt of the joke.
"This is the latest episode of a system of communication, television and  
also press, which from 2001 has systematically attacked the work of the  
government and the prime minister," Berlusconi told author Bruno Vespa, a  
famed RAI journalist who writes books on current affairs.
He then named a string of comedians often seen on RAI, who sometimes  
direct their humor against Berlusconi.
New 'blacklist?'
Center-left opposition leader Romano Prodi accused Berlusconi of trying to  
draw up a new "blacklist" and said Italy badly needed more media freedom,  
not less.
Berlusconi's Fininvest company controls Italy's three largest private  
television stations, its largest publishing house and its largest  
advertising agency. As prime minister, Berlusconi also has an indirect say  
in the running of RAI.
Berlusconi denied on Monday that he was looking to force the comedians off  
the airways, but said in a statement their humor "often overstepped the  
bounds of truth and good taste" and said the opposition had "occupied"  
Italian television.
In its 2004 media report, the U.S.-based Freedom House, said press  
freedoms were deteriorating in Italy and ranked the country 74th in its  
global league table -- beneath African countries such as Mali, Ghana and  
Benin.
"Italy was downgraded to Partly Free in 2003 due to an unprecedented  
concentration of media ownership and a resulting increase in and misuse of  
political pressure on media outlets," the Freedom House report said.
The prime minister denies using this predominance to dictate programming  
and is determined to change media laws to let his Go Italy party run  
election campaign adverts on television.
Under the terms of a 2000 law, known by its Latin tag Par Condicio,  
Italian parties are given equal access to the media during the run-up to  
general elections in the shape of free broadcasting slots. Paid adverts  
are banned.
Berlusconi wants to see U.S.-style free-for-all advertising. His opponents  
fear that as Italy's wealthiest man, he will be able to bankroll a mega  
advertising campaign, while opposition parties have to pay Berlusconi's  
companies for airtime.
-- 
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/10/24/italy.berlusconi.reut/
Ralph Barker
«Il voto a Bolzano ha portato la città ad assumere una funzione  
emblematica,
è il simbolo della riscossa partita da Catania e che ci riporterà, noi
dell'Italia moderata, a tornare in testa alle prossime elezioni».
  berlusconi silvio 30.05.2005

 famed RAI journalist who writes books on current affairs.
Has anybody ever told him that political satire is all about taking the
Piss out of the government?
CNN, blah, Tutti communisti!