Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T02:41:10.237Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

‘Berlusconi's Italy’: the media between structure and agency

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2016

Cinzia Padovani
Cinzia Padovani*
Affiliation:
Department of Radio, Television and Digital Media, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA
*
∗Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In this article, I explore the conditions of the media in Italy by taking into consideration a variety of elements: the context of media legislation and media concentration that have favoured the interests of Silvio Berlusconi, and the role of progressive agency (media professionals, citizens' groups) as they worked within those constraints to keep alive the flames of democracy during the ‘Berlusconi era’. This perspective is intended to provide an alternative interpretation to what has become the prevailing view of contemporary Italy: an ‘abnormal’ country; the ‘Sick Man of Europe’; worse yet: a country of ‘servants’. The framework of analysis includes the influence of the media-magnate-turned-politician on media legislation and the television sector, but also evaluates the important roles that media professionals and citizens have played to improve pluralism. The article argues that despite extreme levels of media concentration and an unprecedented conflict of interests, a commitment to engage in political discourse has continued to characterise Italy's political culture. This commitment has been expressed by a multiplicity of actors, from journalists and media professionals to citizens' organisations and media activists.

Keywords

Berlusconi and mediamedia policypublic service broadcastingmedia professionalsmedia activismItalian media
Type
Articles
Information
Modern Italy , Volume 20 , Issue 1: Special Issue: Berlusconi's impact and legacy , February 2015 , pp. 41 - 57
Copyright
Copyright © Association for the study of Modern Italy 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

AGCOM. 2012. “Annual report on the activity carried out and on the work programmes.” Accessed October 13, 2013. http://www.agcom.it/Default.aspx?message=contenuto&DCId=5 Google Scholar
AGCOM. 2013. “Relazione annuale 2013: sull'attività svolta e sui programmi di lavoro.” Accessed May 20, 2014. http://www.agcom.it/relazioni-annuali Google Scholar
Andrews, G. 2005. Not A Normal Country: Italy After Berlusconi. London: Pluto.Google Scholar
CENSIS. 2013. “Italy Today: Social Picture & Trends.” Accessed April 25, 2014. http://xmanager.atcloud.it/application/xmanager/projects/censis/flle/Italy_Today__2013.pdf Google Scholar
Cepernich, C. 2009. “The Changing Face of the Media: A Catalogue of Anomalies.” In Resisting the Tide: Cultures of Opposition Under Berlusconi (2001–06), edited by Albertazzi, Daniele, Brook, Clodagh, Ross, Charlotte, and Rothenberg, Nina, 31–45. London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Colapinto, C. 2010. “Moving to a Multichannel and Multiplatform Company in the Emerging and Digital Media Ecosystem: The Case of Mediaset Group.” The International Journal on Media Management 12(2):59–75.Google Scholar
Corriere della Sera. 2010. “‘Telefonate per fermare Annozero’ Trani, indagati Berlusconi e Minzolini.” March 12. Accessed August 25, 2014. http://www.corriere.it/politica/speciali/2010/elezioni/notizie/di_pietro_minzolini_tv_e7f902d8-2dc6-11df-ab2a-00144f02aabe.shtml Google Scholar
Couldry, N. 2004. “Theorizing Media as Practice.” Social Semiotics 14(2):115–132.Google Scholar
D'Argenio, A. 2011. “Giornalista del Tg1 lascia la conduzione.” La Repubblica, May 25. Accessed August 25, 2014. http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2011/05/25/giornalista-del-tg1-lascia-la-conduzione.html Google Scholar
DEMOS & PI Research. 2014. Sulle Tracce della Società e dell'Opinione Pubblica. Accessed August 4, 2014. http://www.demos.it/a00848.php?ref=NRCT-2 Google Scholar
Downing, J. D. H., Ford, T. V., Gil, G., and Stein, L. 2001. Radical Media: Rebellious Communication and Social Movements. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Foschini, G. 2010. “Trani: Berlusconi, Innocenzi e Minzolini indagati ‘Pressioni su Tg1 e Agcom, concussione’.” La Repubblica, March 12. Accessed August 23, 2014. http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2010/03/12/news/inchiesta_a_trani_telefonate_per_bloccare_annozero_berlusconi_fece_pressioni_su_tg1_e_agcom-2602943/ Google Scholar
Gerbaudo, P. 2012. “Murdoch vs. Berlusconi: The Battle for the Control of Italian Media.” Global Media and Communication 8(1):7–11.Google Scholar
Giddens, A. 1984. The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of Structuration. Oakland: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Ginsborg, P. 2003. Italy and Its Discontents: Family, Civil Society, State 1980–2001. London: Penguin.Google Scholar
Habermas, J. 2006. “Political Communication in Media Society-Does Democracy still enjoy an epistemic dimension? The Impact of Normative Theory on Empirical Research.” Communication Theory 16(4):411–426.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanretty, C. 2010. “The media between Market and Politics.” In Italy Today: The Sick Man of Europe, edited by Mammone, Andrea and Veltri, Giuseppe A., 85–98. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
IEM. 2012. L'Industria Della Comunicazione in Italia: XIV Rapporto Iem. Turin: Fondazione Rosselli.Google Scholar
Juris, J. S. 2005a. “The New Digital Media and Activist Networking within Anti-Corporate Globalization Movements.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 597(1):189–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Juris, J. S. 2005b. “Violence Performed and Imagined Militant Action: The Black Bloc and the Mass Media in Genoa.” Critique of Anthropology 25(4):413–443.Google Scholar
Law no.112. May 3 2004. “Norme di principio in materia di assetto del sistema radiotelevisivo e della RAI - Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A., nonché delega al Governo per l'emanazione del testo unico della radiotelevisione.” Accessed November 1, 2014. http://www.camera.it/parlam/leggi/041121.htm Google Scholar
Law no. 223. August 6, 1990. “Disciplina del sistema radiotelevisivo pubblico e privato.” Accessed November 1, 2014. http://www.camera.it/_bicamerali/rai/norme/1223-90.htm Google Scholar
Law no. 249. July 31, 1997. “Istituzione dell'Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni e norme sui sistemi delle telecomunicazioni e radiotelevisivo.” Accessed November 1, 2014. http://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/972491.htm Google Scholar
L'Espresso. 2010. “Agostino, Silvio, fiction e starlette. Tutte le intercettazioni.” August 5, 2010. Accessed July 27, 2014. http://espresso.repubblica.it/speciali/2010/08/05/news/agostino-silvio-fiction-e-starlette-br-tutte-le-intercettazioni-1.24516 Google Scholar
Mancini, P. 2011. Between Commodification and Lifestyle Politics Does Silvio Berlusconi Provide a New Model of Politics for the Twenty-First Century? Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Mattoni, A. 2012. Media Practices and Protest Politics How Precarious Workers Mobilise. Farnham: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Mazzoleni, G., and Sfardini, A. 2009. Politica Pop Da “Porta a Porta” a “L'Isola dei famosi”. Bologna: Il Mulino.Google Scholar
Mosco, V. 2009. Political Economy of Communication. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Noam, E. M. 2010. Media Ownership and Concentration in America. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Padovani, C. 2005. A Fatal Attraction: Public Television and Politics in Italy. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.Google Scholar
Padovani, C. 2009. “Pluralism of Information in the Television Sector in Italy: History and Contemporary Conditions.” In Press Freedom in Europe Concepts and Conditions, edited by Czepek, Andrea, Hellwig, Melanie, and Nowak, Eva, 287–302. Bristol: Intellect.Google Scholar
Padovani, C. 2010. “Citizens' Communication and the 2009 G8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy.” The International Journal of Communication 4:416–439.Google Scholar
Padovani, C. 2013. “Activists' Communication in a Post-Disaster Zone: Cross-Media Strategies for Protest Mobilization in L'Aquila, Italy.” In Mediation and Mobilization, edited by Cammaerts, Bart, McCurdy, Patrick, and Mattoni, Alice, 179–204. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Palestini, L. 2010. “Busi: ‘Sì, è scattata una rappresaglia mai visto osare tanto, e perdiamo ascolti’.” La Repubblica, April 1. Accessed August 7, 2014. http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2010/04/01/news/busi_s_scattata_una_rappresaglia_mai_visto_osare_tanto_e_perdiamo_ascolti-3058917/ Google Scholar
Pilati, A. 1996. “Introduzione.” In L'Industria Delia Comunicazione in Italia: Terzo Rapporto IEM, edited by Rosselli, Fondazione, 3–5. Milan: Guerini e Associati.Google Scholar
RAI. 2002. “Annual Report 2002.” Accessed March 20, 2014. http://www.bilancio2002.rai.it/uk/bilancio/cons07.htm Google Scholar
RAI. 2006. “Report and Financial Statements at 31 December 2006.” Accessed March 20, 2014. http://www.bilancio2006.rai.it/uk/bilancio/cons02.htm Google Scholar
RAI. 2012. “Reports and financial statements 2012.” Accessed March 20, 2014. http://www.rai.it/dl/bilancio2012/eng/bilancio/civ05.htm Google Scholar
Randacio, E., and Galbiati, W. 2007. “La rete segreta del Cavaliere che pilotava Rai e Mediaset.” La Repubblica, November 21. Accessed August 24, 2014. http://www.repubblica.it/2007/11/sezioni/cronaca/media-rai/media-rai/media-rai.html Google Scholar
Ricciardi, A. 2012. After La Dolce Vita A Cultural History of Berlusconi's Italy. Redwood City, CA: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Rocca, G. 1990. “Tutto nel Nome Di ‘Sua Emittenza’.” La Repubblica, July 27. Accessed August 25, 2014. http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1990/07/27/tutto-nel-nome-di-sua-emittenza.html Google Scholar
Rothenberg, N. 2009. “Political Cleansing and Censorship in Public Television – A Case Study of Michele Santoro and Enzo Biagi.” In Resisting the Tide: Cultures of Opposition Under Berlusconi (2001–06), edited by Albertazzi, Daniele, Brook, Clodagh, Ross, Charlotte, and Rothenberg, Nina, 31–45. London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Siliato, F. 2013. “Talk, il grande flop.” Europa, November 8:1–3.Google Scholar
Soroka, S., Andrew, B., Aalberg, T., Iyengar, S., Curran, J., Coen, S., Hayashi, K., et al. 2012. “Auntie Knows Best? Public Broadcasters and Current Affairs Knowledge.” British Journal of Political Science 43(04):1–21.Google Scholar
Splichal, S. 1994. Media Beyond Socialism: Theory An Practice in East-Central Europe. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.Google Scholar
Stetka, V. 2010. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place? Market Concentration, Local Ownership and Media Autonomy in the Czech Republic.” The International Journal of Communication 4:865–885.Google Scholar
Treré, E. 2012. “Social Movements as Information Ecologies: Exploring the Coevolution of Multiple Internet Technologies for Activism.” The International Journal of Communication 6:2359–2377.Google Scholar
Viroli, M. 2012. The Liberty of Servants: Berlusconi's Italy. Translated by Shugaar, Anthony. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Vitale, G. 2009. “Rai, Garimberti porta il caso Tg1 in Cda Protesta dei giornalisti contro Minzolini.” La Repubblica, June 24. Accessed August 23, 2014. http://www.repubblica.it/2009/06/sezioni/politica/berlusconi-divorzio-10/tg1-cda/tg1-cda.html Google Scholar
Vivarelli, M. 2004. “Broadcast Deregulation, Italian Style.” Daily Variety, April 30.Google Scholar
Zecchinelli, C. 2002. “Italy News Cues Up.” Daily Variety, March 20.Google Scholar