Newsgroup: it.politica
Titolo: Profile: Silvio Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi is Italy's richest man, estimated to be worth $12bn
(Ł7bn).
If controversy and colourfulness could be measured in the same way, he would
probably come top of those tables too.
The prime minister not only runs a business empire that spans media,
advertising, insurance, food and construction. He also owns Italy's most
successful football club, admits having had cosmetic surgery, and has fought
off repeated corruption allegations.
Indeed it is Mr Berlusconi's involvement in every part of Italian life that
angers his critics, and exasperates his rivals.
For some Italians, Mr Berlusconi's success as a business tycoon is evidence
of his capabilities - a reason why he should run the country.
For others, Mr Berlusconi and his businesses do better out of the
relationship than Italy does.
In the run-up to Italian elections this April, one of the most controversial
aspects of the campaign has been the media coverage.
For Mr Berlusconi's investment company controls Italy's three biggest
private television stations. And his appointees run the public ones.
Opponents complain that an Italian voter cannot escape blanket coverage
favourable to Mr Berlusconi.
They say his control of the media extends beyond the news agenda, and that
comedians who lampooned the prime minister have never appeared on TV again.
Even more controversial, however, are legal inquiries into Mr Berlusconi's
business dealings.
Prosecutors have failed in various attempts to convict him on corruption
charges.
Only weeks before April's election, another storm has blown up.
Prosecutors have asked a judge to indict the prime minister and British
lawyer David Mills, after the former allegedly paid the latter a bribe to
give favourable testimony in one of his previous corruption trials.
Both men deny the charges.
Warming-up
Born on 29 September 1936 into a Milan family, Mr Berlusconi started honing
his business skills at a young age.
He used his charm to sell everything from vacuum cleaners to university
essays during his youth, activities complemented by stints as a crooner in
nightclubs and on cruise ships
For others, Mr Berlusconi and his businesses do better out of the
relationship than Italy does.
In the run-up to Italian elections this April, one of the most controversial
aspects of the campaign has been the media coverage.
For Mr Berlusconi's investment company controls Italy's three biggest
private television stations. And his appointees run the public ones.
Opponents complain that an Italian voter cannot escape blanket coverage
favourable to Mr Berlusconi.
They say his control of the media extends beyond the news agenda, and that
comedians who lampooned the prime minister have never appeared on TV again.
Even more controversial, however, are legal inquiries into Mr Berlusconi's
business dealings.
Prosecutors have failed in various attempts to convict him on corruption
charges.
Only weeks before April's election, another storm has blown up.
Prosecutors have asked a judge to indict the prime minister and British
lawyer David Mills, after the former allegedly paid the latter a bribe to
give favourable testimony in one of his previous corruption trials.
Both men deny the charges.
Warming-up
Born on 29 September 1936 into a Milan family, Mr Berlusconi started honing
his business skills at a young age.
He used his charm to sell everything from vacuum cleaners to university
essays during his youth, activities complemented by stints as a crooner in
nightclubs and on cruise ships.
This was just the warm-up.
In 1961, he graduated in law and started his business career in earnest,
borrowing from the bank where his father worked to set up his first company,
Edilnord.
With Edilnord, a construction company, Mr Berlusconi established himself as
a residential housing developer around his native Milan.
Milano 2, comprising nearly 4,000 tasteful flats in a garden setting, was
built on the city's eastern outskirts in the late 1960s.
Not content with providing the residents solely with housing, 10 years later
he launched a local cable-television outfit - Telemilano - a project which
would grow into Italy's biggest media empire, Mediaset.
While he accumulated TV stations, Italy's largest publishing house
Mondadori, and the leading daily newspaper Il Giornale, Mr Berlusconi's
company Fininvest also took nearly 150 other companies under its umbrella.
Enter stage right
In 1993 Mr Berlusconi founded his own political party, Forza Italia - Go
Italy - named after a chant used by fans of the AC Milan football club -
which he also owns.
In 1994, Mr Berlusconi became prime minister, forming a coalition with the
right-wing National Alliance and Northern League.
But rivalries between the three leaders, coupled with Mr Berlusconi's
indictment for alleged tax fraud by a Milan court, led to the collapse of
the government just seven months later.
He lost the 1996 election to the left-wing Romano Prodi.
As ever, Mr Berlusconi refused to be deterred and spent the next few years
re-organising his party.
By 2001, he was back on the throne, in coalition once more with his former
partners.
Immunity
But allegations have continued to dog him.
He has been accused of embezzlement, tax fraud and false accounting, and
attempting to bribe a judge.
A number of cases have come to trial. In some cases he has been acquitted.
In others, he has been convicted, but the verdict was overturned on appeal.
In others still, the statute of limitations has expired before the case
could reach its conclusion.
Mr Berlusconi's government has passed reforms shortening the statute of
limitations for fraud.
A law passed by Mr Berlusconi's majority that gave him and other top public
post-holders immunity from prosecution while in office was later thrown out
by the constitutional court.
The prime minister says the latest allegations have been dragged up to
undermine him at the general election, at which he faces his old rival
Romano Prodi.
Correspondents say the claims are a blow to his campaign, though the Italian
electorate has in the past shown itself willing to look past the alleged
improbity and conflicts of interest.
In fact Mr Berlusconi has headed the longest-serving Italian government
since World War II.
Despite his difficulties, few would discount the perma-tanned, wrinkle-free
prime minister extending his time at the top.


e' comunque vecchia questa valutazione perche' manca:
1) la cessione a sky dei programmi sul satellite dell'ex mediaset sat
2) l'acquisizione di sport italia da parte di mediaset dtt
3) l'acquisizione del gruppo radio 101 da parte di mondadori
-- 
Ralph Barker
L.A.P. Legionario Azzurro Pagante
L.I.P.C.S. Lega Italiana Protezione Carciofo Silvio
"Io al Pil non ci ho mai creduto, non l'ho mai incontrato per strada"
silvio berlusconi 10.09.2005


si è solo per far vedere da quanto tempo è che siamo presi in giro
per colpa del nano


si ma siccome tra poco saremo al governo e' giusto indicare le giuste  
cifre alla guardia di finanza che farà il proprio lavoro nei termini di  
legge........


 (£7bn).
Ih, ih, ih....me fanno ammazzà.....
Il mass media BBC ripete quello che ripetono da 5 anni i mass media, 
ovvero che Berlusconi controlla i mass media.
E chi lo ripete da 5 anni ?
Ma è ovvio, i veri monopolisti, quei mass media di sinistra che hanno 
convinto il popolo che "Berlusconi controlla i mass media".
Clas 


ormai puo fare qualche mese fi galera, poi con la cosa che è
vecchio gli danno gli arresti domiciliari, ha studiato bene
le sue mosse il bastardo


va bene ma tanto e' intestato tutto a piersilvio e al fratello........al  
massimo al fratello gli daranno la condizionale da semi-infermità per  
esserci stato con la estrada......
