Concerns rise over Berlusconi's media clout

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's media power came in for sharp criticism and a presidential call for balance this week after opposition members accused the state broadcaster of trying to "rewrite history".

Berlusconi's family-controlled Mediaset is Italy's largest private broadcaster. The Prime Minister also firmed up his indirect control over state television and radio broadcaster Rai in April when his government appointed new managers.

Last week Rai's new chairman, Antonio Baldassarre, appeared to herald a change at the state broadcaster when he said he wanted Rai's educational channel to help correct what he saw as predominantly left-wing views in Italy of recent history.

"They told us stories," Baldassarre said. "It's time to come to terms with this and Rai can do a great deal."

A day later, President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi - whose role is non-political - said pluralism and freedom of information were "fundamental," an apparent riposte to the comments by Baldassare who quickly said he agreed with Ciampi.

Left-wing politicians were more outspoken, accusing Rai's new management of wanting to "rewrite history" and branding the broadcaster as a "a ministry of propaganda" for the government.

Rai has increasingly come under fire for alleged political interference, most notably in June for axing the shows of two primetime television presenters who were critical of Berlusconi.

Since then Italy's communications regulator has opened an inquiry into the independence of television and recently said a reform of Italy's television duopoly was "a necessity."

Rai and Berlusconi's family-controlled Mediaset combined account for 90 per cent of Italy's viewers.

Besides Mediaset the Berlusconi family also controls Italy's biggest publishing house Mondadori, an advertising agency, an Internet portal plus property and financial services companies through holding company Fininvest.

The government has drawn up a bill which it says will deal with the apparent conflicts of interest. Opposition lawmakers stormed out of the lower house in February rather than vote on the bill, saying it was toothless.

"Certainly, in the background there is a rather awkward situation where (Berlusconi) is the chief controller of the media in Italy," said Franco Pavoncello, a politics professor and dean of John Cabot University in Rome. "It is not a normal situation for an advanced democracy to be in."

Rai says its new board is independent but most analysts see three appointees as close to the government and two linked to the opposition.

"This is an institution that has always had a particular rapport with politics and with the (ruling) majority. But nevertheless, Rai should be independent," an Rai spokesman said.

In July, the International Press Institute accused the government of putting pressure on public media after the two presenters were dropped and the International Federation of Journalists noted "excessive political interference."

"All governments in Italy have had an influence on Rai," said Renato Manheimer, a politics professor at Genoa university.

The prime minister triggered a political storm by accusing journalists Michele Santoro and Enzo Biagi as well as comedian Daniele Luttazzi, of making "criminal" use of Rai in the run-up to the May 2001 general election, where he came to power.

Biagi came under attack for interviewing comedian Roberto Benigni, a well-known left-wing sympathiser, on the eve of the election. Santoro's show was blasted for devoting an edition to the judicial woes of a Berlusconi aide.

The premier often accuses Rai of left-wing bias and claimed it dented his support among voters last year.

Still, many Italians were shocked when Rai dropped Biagi and Santoro from its September programme line-up. After a furore, Rai said Biagi would stay at Rai 1 but with a new show. Santoro has yet to be reintroduced to the programming schedule.

"The backlash was tremendous and Berlusconi had to back down," said professor Pavoncello. "I think Berlusconi understood that with some things he had better be careful."