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Berlusconi''s TV Empire: Italy, Spain ... Germany?

Article Excerpt
Among many other names, Italian broadcaster-turned-Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is called Napoleon because, like the French leader, he can turn any criticism into a public relations coup. Like the former Italian, Napoleone Bonaparte (who was originally from Tuscany), Berlusconi wanted to create a Pan-European Empire. During a conference in 1986, Berlusconi boasted that he was present in France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Greece and, of course, Italy. His ventures include La Cinq (France), Channel 5 (U.K.), TeleFunf (Germany), Tele-Cinco (Spain) and Mediaset (Italy).

Lately, considering that Berlusconi is taking special care of Russia with repeated visits to its president, Vladimir Putin, there is speculation that Mediaset will be entering the Russian TV market. Berlusconi has already made statements about exchanging TV programs promoting each country's cultural landmarks.

Berlusconi, who now controls TV networks in Spain (TeleCinco), Italy (RAI and Mediaset) and, possibly, Germany (KirchMedia), is also called His Emittency, Jesus and the Divine Knight. It is important to point out, however, that it is one thing to have ownership, another to actually "control" all those TV outlets, since, at times, the most aggressive criticism of Berlusconi comes from his TV networks. The "Jesus" moniker was given by Italian political satirists who joked about Mediaset's chairman, Fedele Confalonieri, being on the prowl to find the best burial site for Berlusconi. Jerusalem, his top choice, was vetoed by Berlusconi once he heard the high cost for what he thought was going to...