Italy

The huge control Silvio Berlusconi exercised over the media when Italian Prime Minister - six of the seven terrestrial TV channels were under his influence - and the continuing influence he exerted when in opposition is unprecedented in a democratic state. This book shows how Berlusconi came to effectively control the Italian media and how his media influence in turn enabled him to gain - and crucially to maintain - political power. It examines the lively but deeply split newspaper culture and how the lack of a strong tradition of investigative journalism in Italy meant that Berlusconi's controversies often failed to be reported - or when reported, were dismissed as partisan commentary. The authors analyse the new culture of journalism growing on the internet and argue for a reform of the media, particularly within the RAI, the powerful and popular public broadcaster. As well as examining the unique path taken by the Italian media over the past two decades, the authors also provide suggestions for the future development of Italian journalism post-Berlusconi.