Italy's battle with free press, Part III: Che schifo

First, the Berlusconi government banned political talk shows, a serious infringement on the freedom of press in Italy. Then, the courts lifted the ban because it was illegal. Now, the board of directors of Rai, Italy's public television network, has voted to keep the ban in effect, despite what the judges ruled.

What a joke.

This is merely showing that Berlusconi, one of the richest men in Italy (and the world), has complete control over the Italian television, if not the media in general. He owns Mediaset, the most powerful private television network in Italy, and, being Prime Minister, evidently has the ability to control Rai, which is funded by Italian tax dollars (ehm, euros). It's no mistake that Rai's board of directors is full of like-minded Berlusconi-lovers.

So, what does a leader with control over the media do? Silence the opposition, obviously. Good thing fascism is in the past.