Political scandal in Italy: reported interference on major media
{{date|November 22, 2007}}
{{Italy}}
[[Image:Silvio Berlusconi shakes hands with Bush.jpg|thumb|left|Silvio Berlusconi shaking the hand of US President [[w:George W. Bush|George W. Bush]].]]
Wiretaps disclosed by [[Italy|Italian]] daily [[w:La Repubblica|La Repubblica]] have upset Italian politics. The conversations suggest that state-run [[w:RAI|RAI]] and private rival [[w:Mediaset|Mediaset]], which is owned by [[w:Silvio Berlusconi|Silvio Berlusconi]], made arrangements to favour Berlusconi himself when he was [[w:Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister of Italy]].

In these conversations, RAI and Mediaset managers discussed how to present Berlusconi's defeat at the last elections in news programmes and talk shows and the decision to delay announcement of the bad results. This is not the first time Berlusconi has been accused of controlling the Italian media.

Berlusconi did not comment the allegations but one of his close associates, Renato Schifani, said that "This is a media operation [... with a] precise objective of destroying Mr Berlusconi's companies". Mediaset said it would sue La Repubblica for these allegations.

[[w:Walter Veltroni|Walter Veltroni]], the leader-elect of the opposition [[w:Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]], said, "What has emerged is extremely serious" and requested an internal investigation within the RAI.

{{haveyoursay}}
== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSL2118446220071121
|title=Italian TV in new scandal over political influence
|author=Silvia Aloisi
|pub=Reuters
|date=November 21, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2007/11/sezioni/cronaca/media-rai/media-rai/media-rai.html
|title=La rete segreta del Cavaliere che pilotava Rai e Mediaset
|author=Emilio Randacio e Walter Galbiani
|pub=La Repubblica
|date=November 21, 2007
|lang=Italian}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Media]]
[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Italy]]
George W. Bush.
Wiretaps disclosed by Italian daily La Repubblica have upset Italian politics. The conversations suggest that state-run RAI and private rival Mediaset, which is owned by Silvio Berlusconi, made arrangements to favour Berlusconi himself when he was Prime Minister of Italy.

In these conversations, RAI and Mediaset managers discussed how to present Berlusconi's defeat at the last elections in news programmes and talk shows and the decision to delay announcement of the bad results. This is not the first time Berlusconi has been accused of controlling the Italian media.

Berlusconi did not comment the allegations but one of his close associates, Renato Schifani, said that "This is a media operation ... with a precise objective of destroying Mr Berlusconi's companies". Mediaset said it would sue La Repubblica for these allegations.

Walter Veltroni, the leader-elect of the opposition Democratic Party, said, "What has emerged is extremely serious" and requested an internal investigation within the RAI.
Politics and conflicts Media Television Europe Italy