Newsgroup: it.politica
Titolo: Freedom House = uno dei quattro motivi

In April, the parliament adopted a law on broadcasting reform, known
as the Gasparri Law, which ostensibly introduces a number of reforms,
such as the switch-over to digital broadcasting (scheduled to take place in
2006) and the partial privatization of RAI. The law was initially vetoed in
December 2003 by President Carlo Ciampi,who was urged to do so by
media organizations claiming the law threatened press freedom and undermined
news pluralism. Although the revised law has a clause that
limits the maximum revenue a single media company can earn, it excludes
interests in publishing, cinema, and the music industry. Critics of the law
still say that it reinforces Berlusconi's power over the media. The new law
also allows one of the three Mediaset channels, Retequattro, to continue
terrestrial broadcasting. The decree runs counter to a 2002 Constitutional
Court ruling that demanded the channel switch to satellite by January
2004 to ensure competition. The shift to satellite would have led to a
considerable loss in the station's market value. 

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Qui è completo!
RSF e Freedom House su liberta' di stampa in Italia
da Marco Montanari
RSF:
BERLUSCONI'S CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN THE MEDIA is the only European
prime minister who also heads a media empire. His ownership of three
major TV stations has serious implications for the independence of the
state-owned TV network with which they compete.
Silvio Berlusconi owns Mondadori, and Mediaset, EXTENSIVE INTERFERENCE
Silvio Berlusconi is also in a position to strongly influence the
state-owned TV station RAI. In 2002, he lashed out at two veteran RAI
reporters, accusing them of "criminally" misusing the station. The
bill to settle Berlusconi's conflict of interests was a trick
Berlusconi became prime minister again in 2001 after promising during
the election campaign to settle the matter in his first 100 days in
office. But the bill he came up with to do this was a trick. So
Berlusconi has transferred formal management of his businesses to his
family and associates and any conflict of interest has therefore
officially disappeared.
GASPARRI LAW NO DEMOCRACY WITH DIVERSITY The situation roused the
normally reserved president of the republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who
told parliament there was "no democracy without diverse and impartial
news." He struck at Berlusconi on 15 December 2003 by refusing to
sign into law the "Gasparri" broadcasting reform bill that would
have allowed the prime minister to keep control of his three
terrestrial TV stations.
GASPARRI LAW IS THE MOST FLAGRANT AND SHOCKING EXAMPLE OF BERLUSCONI'S
CONFLICT OF INTEREST VIOLATING A SENTENCE OF CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL
BERLUSCONI Berlusconi responded on 23 December by decreeing a reprieve
for one of his stations that the constitutional council had ordered to
switch to satellite (which would cut much of its share value). The
proposed law is the most flagrant and shocking example of
Berlusconi's conflict of interest.
FREEDOM HOUSE
Freedom of speech and the press are constitutionally guaranteed. Most
press outlets are privately owned but are often linked to political
parties or run by large media conglomerates that exercise some
editorial influence. Concerns about the concentration of media
ownership have been an issue since the election in 2001 of Silvio
Berlusconi, a media magnate and Italy's wealthiest individual, as
prime minister.
The print media, which consist of eight national newspapers, two of
which are controlled by the Berlusconi family, continue to provide
diverse political opinions, including those critical of the government.
However, Berlusconi controls or influences six of the seven national
broadcast channels. Mediaset, a company in which he has a major
interest and the largest private broadcaster in the country, owns three
national channels, while the state-owned network (RAI), traditionally
subject to political pressure, controls three.
Questions continue to be raised about the political impact of
Berlusconi's control of the media. The Osservatorio di Pavia, an
independent media watchdog, reported that in the month of February,
Berlusconi's presence on television accounted for 42 percent of the
time dedicated to politicians. During the year, the head of RAI, Lucia
Annunziata, and one of its star television broadcasters, Lili Gruber,
quit in reaction to Berlusconi's domination of the media.
A long awaited conflict of interest bill, which was intended to resolve
the contradictions between Berlusconi's private business and his role
as prime minister, was passed in July. Although the bill limits the
managing control politicians have over their holdings, it does not bar
them from owning companies. As a result, the bill, which was criticized
as being toothless by critics, will have little impact on
Berlusconi's media empire.
In April, the parliament adopted a law on broadcasting reform, known as
the Gasparri Law, which ostensibly introduces a number of reforms, such
as the switch-over to digital broadcasting (scheduled to take place in
2006) and the partial privatization of RAI. The law was initially
vetoed in December 2003 by President Carlo Ciampi, who was urged to do
so by media organizations claiming the law threatened press freedom and
undermined news pluralism.
Although the revised law has a clause that limits the maximum revenue a
single media company can earn, it excludes interests in publishing,
cinema, and the music industry. Critics of the law still say that it
reinforces Berlusconi's power over the media. The new law also allows
one of the three Mediaset channels, Retequattro, to continue
terrestrial broadcasting. The decree runs counter to a 2002
Constitutional Court ruling that demanded the channel switch to
satellite by January 2004 to ensure competition. The shift to satellite
would have led to a considerable loss in the station's market value.
In December, journalists at Italy's leading and highest-selling
daily, Corriere Della Sera, protested increasing editorial interference
and pressure in the newsroom from its shareholders. The newspaper is
owned by RCS Mediagroup, in which 15 of Italy's major conglomerates
have a stake. Legislators moved in July toward abolishing prison
sentences for libel, a development welcomed by media organizations, but
the proposed amendments have yet to be adopted. Politicians and their
allies filed several libel suits against journalists during 2004; in
February, journalist Massimiliano Melilli was sentenced to 18 months in
prison and ordered to pay 100,000 euros (US$124,400).
In July, a 76-year-old journalist and senator was placed under house
arrest, relaxing his 2002 sentence of 29 months' imprisonment for
libel. Press freedom organizations criticized two separate government
raids on journalists' homes and offices, owing to the journalists'
refusal to reveal their sources for controversial, investigative
reports. More than a third of the world's people live in countries
where there is no press freedom. Reporters Without Borders works
constantly to restore their right to be informed. Fourty-two media
professionals lost their lives in 2003 for doing what they were paid to
do - keeping us informed.
Ciao P.