Slovak director Robert Kirchhoff is in postproduction with his documentary “All Men Become Brothers,” which follows the life of Czechoslovak politician Alexander Dubček (1921-1992), Film New Europe reports.
Dubček was leader of Czechoslovakia from January 1968 to April 1969. He attempted to reform the communist government during the Prague Spring, but was forced to resign following the Warsaw Pact invasion in August 1968.
The film is produced by Kirchhoff’s Atelier.doc and coproduced by Radio and Television Slovakia, Czech Republic’s Endorfilm and Czech Television.
Kirchhoff’s past titles include “Normalization,” which received a Special Mention from the Between the Seas jury at Jihlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival.
Production took place from 2018 to 2021 on locations in Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Turkey and Slovakia. Well-known figures from Czechoslovak and international politics and culture, such as Italian politician Romano Prodi, Italian novelist Umberto Eco, Czech novelist and playwright Pavel Kohout, and Czech director...
Dubček was leader of Czechoslovakia from January 1968 to April 1969. He attempted to reform the communist government during the Prague Spring, but was forced to resign following the Warsaw Pact invasion in August 1968.
The film is produced by Kirchhoff’s Atelier.doc and coproduced by Radio and Television Slovakia, Czech Republic’s Endorfilm and Czech Television.
Kirchhoff’s past titles include “Normalization,” which received a Special Mention from the Between the Seas jury at Jihlava Intl. Documentary Film Festival.
Production took place from 2018 to 2021 on locations in Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Turkey and Slovakia. Well-known figures from Czechoslovak and international politics and culture, such as Italian politician Romano Prodi, Italian novelist Umberto Eco, Czech novelist and playwright Pavel Kohout, and Czech director...
- 7/10/2022
- by Zuzana Točíková Vojteková
- Variety Film + TV
Rome -- Silvio Berlusconi faces a new legal battle after the three-time prime minister and billionaire media mogul was indicted in Naples on charges of bribing a senator in order to hasten the fall of the government of rival Romano Prodi in 2008. The 77-year-old billionaire already faces the prospect of being booted from parliament after a definitive conviction in a false-accounting and tax-fraud case tied to his Mediaset TV and movie empire. He is also appealing a seven-year jail term for abuse of power and paying a minor for sex, and a one-year
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- 10/24/2013
- by Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gianroberto Casaleggio hints Five Star Movement could offer limited support to minority government made up of other parties
The joint founder of the Five Star Movement (M5S), which holds the balance of power in Italy after its astonishing performance in this week's elections, has said it will not play any role in the formation of the country's next government.
But in his first interview since the results became known, Gianroberto Casaleggio, the digital mastermind behind the M5S's vertiginous ascent, signalled that the movement could provide limited support for a minority government, such as that proposed on Friday by the centre-left leader, Pier Luigi Bersani.
Italy and the eurozone plunged into crisis this week after no one party or alliance emerged from the election with the necessary outright majority in both houses of parliament.
Speaking exclusively to the Guardian, Casaleggio said: "If a government is put together, formed by other parties,...
The joint founder of the Five Star Movement (M5S), which holds the balance of power in Italy after its astonishing performance in this week's elections, has said it will not play any role in the formation of the country's next government.
But in his first interview since the results became known, Gianroberto Casaleggio, the digital mastermind behind the M5S's vertiginous ascent, signalled that the movement could provide limited support for a minority government, such as that proposed on Friday by the centre-left leader, Pier Luigi Bersani.
Italy and the eurozone plunged into crisis this week after no one party or alliance emerged from the election with the necessary outright majority in both houses of parliament.
Speaking exclusively to the Guardian, Casaleggio said: "If a government is put together, formed by other parties,...
- 3/1/2013
- by John Hooper
- The Guardian - Film News
Rupert Wyatt scored this summer with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Fox is already moving forward with the development [1] of another Apes film that Wyatt is provisionally set to direct. But that sequel isn't yet written, so Wyatt has a chance to do something else until Fox pulls together a working Apes script. That something may be Londongrad, a Warner Bros. film about Kgb spy Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned in 2006 and accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of masterminding the attempt on his life. Furthermore, for a star Warner Bros. is looking to another man who helped Fox this summer: X-Men: First Class star Michael Fassbender. Deadline [2] announces the possible deal, but doesn't have many more details. There was a point where Mike Newell was going to make the movie (it had the title The Terminal Spy at one point) and the David Scarpa script that Wyatt...
- 11/7/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Rome -- Italian broadcasting giant Mediaset is under investigation from the Agcom regulator for exceeding its quota for the number of program titles it can own, but the broadcaster said it would seek to have the current law changed.
Agcom will seek to determine whether Mediaset's position in the television market is dominant enough to have an impact on competition.
Agcom could require Mediaset to sell some of the program titles it owns after it was revealed that Mediaset owned 33% of the titles owned in the Italian television sector. Italy's Gasparri law prohibits any single broadcaster from owning more than 20%.
But Mediaset says the law is unfair because it uses an arbitrary standard to determine a dominant position in the market.
Mediaset contends that by excluding Mediaset Premium -- the broadcaster's satellite broadcast subsidiary, a separate company -- the figure drops to 28%. It also said that it was unfair to...
Agcom will seek to determine whether Mediaset's position in the television market is dominant enough to have an impact on competition.
Agcom could require Mediaset to sell some of the program titles it owns after it was revealed that Mediaset owned 33% of the titles owned in the Italian television sector. Italy's Gasparri law prohibits any single broadcaster from owning more than 20%.
But Mediaset says the law is unfair because it uses an arbitrary standard to determine a dominant position in the market.
Mediaset contends that by excluding Mediaset Premium -- the broadcaster's satellite broadcast subsidiary, a separate company -- the figure drops to 28%. It also said that it was unfair to...
- 5/8/2009
- by By Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rome -- Italian Minister of Culture Sandro Bondi said he wants to resurrect the previous government's plan to make one of the three national networks run by state broadcaster Rai completely ad free.
In a column published in Friday's edition of daily newspaper Libero, Bondi said that, with the growing popularity of digital television signals, there is more room for non-commercial programming. Among his plans, he said, is to turn one of the three Rai networks into a ad-free alternative free that could focus on culture.
The plan to drop ads from one Rai network was originally floated by Paolo Gentiloni, who was minister of communications during the previous government, led by former European Commission president Romano Prodi. But it was dropped when Prodi's government collapsed last year.
Gentiloni's plan could have made things more difficult for Mediaset, the broadcast giant controlled by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, as it...
In a column published in Friday's edition of daily newspaper Libero, Bondi said that, with the growing popularity of digital television signals, there is more room for non-commercial programming. Among his plans, he said, is to turn one of the three Rai networks into a ad-free alternative free that could focus on culture.
The plan to drop ads from one Rai network was originally floated by Paolo Gentiloni, who was minister of communications during the previous government, led by former European Commission president Romano Prodi. But it was dropped when Prodi's government collapsed last year.
Gentiloni's plan could have made things more difficult for Mediaset, the broadcast giant controlled by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, as it...
- 3/13/2009
- by By Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rome -- The Italian government on Tuesday reversed its two-week-old plan to scrap film production incentives, calming a row that could have left the country's major film festivals without Italian productions.
In late June, the Silvio Berlusconi-led government said it would scrap a plan put into motion by the previous Romano Prodi-led government. The plan would have provided financial aid equivalent to 25% of a film's budget up to 5 million euros ($7.8 million) to local and foreign film projects shot in Italy.
Berlusconi said that the plan was inconsistent with his budget reduction plans and that he would scrap the incentives before the first euro was paid out. That announcement sparked a protest from film industry groups, which announced they would boycott this year's festivals in Venice, Rome and Turin unless the policy was reversed.
The new plan does include several changes from Prodi's proposal, including a shift that will take payouts for the incentives from the government's general fund rather than from the budget of the Ministry of Culture, which will see its cash allocation reduced by 7% in 2009 compared with levels this year.
In late June, the Silvio Berlusconi-led government said it would scrap a plan put into motion by the previous Romano Prodi-led government. The plan would have provided financial aid equivalent to 25% of a film's budget up to 5 million euros ($7.8 million) to local and foreign film projects shot in Italy.
Berlusconi said that the plan was inconsistent with his budget reduction plans and that he would scrap the incentives before the first euro was paid out. That announcement sparked a protest from film industry groups, which announced they would boycott this year's festivals in Venice, Rome and Turin unless the policy was reversed.
The new plan does include several changes from Prodi's proposal, including a shift that will take payouts for the incentives from the government's general fund rather than from the budget of the Ministry of Culture, which will see its cash allocation reduced by 7% in 2009 compared with levels this year.
- 7/8/2008
- by By Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Election returns late Monday showed that Italians favored billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi over rival Walter Veltroni by about 7 percentage points, making it likely that the 71-year-old leader will return to power for the fourth time since he first burst onto the political scene 14 years ago.
With the majority of the votes counted, it appears that Berlusconi would have enough support to pull together a coalition in both houses of parliament, almost assuring he will be able to form a government when asked to do so by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, probably Tuesday.
As recently as the end of last year, the prospect of a return to power seemed extremely remote for Berlusconi, whose media empire includes broadcast giant Mediaset and film producer and distributor Medusa. He was struggling to remain the main leader of the opposition, and political rival Romano Prodi -- then prime minister -- seemed to have a firm grip on power.
With the majority of the votes counted, it appears that Berlusconi would have enough support to pull together a coalition in both houses of parliament, almost assuring he will be able to form a government when asked to do so by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, probably Tuesday.
As recently as the end of last year, the prospect of a return to power seemed extremely remote for Berlusconi, whose media empire includes broadcast giant Mediaset and film producer and distributor Medusa. He was struggling to remain the main leader of the opposition, and political rival Romano Prodi -- then prime minister -- seemed to have a firm grip on power.
- 4/14/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italian antitrust officials said Monday that they will open a probe into the competition-related aspects of a new law that dictates how Italian soccer television coverage is shared.
The investigation is the latest in a series of moves against the controversial law, which was passed in January, just before the collapse of the Italian government led by Romano Prodi. The aim of the law was to provide a fairer distribution of income among soccer clubs in order to lessen the advantage that big-city teams have over rivals from smaller urban areas. But critics of the law said it smacks of government intervention.
Chief among the critics is Sky-Italia, which filed a complaint with the European Union charging that the new law's introduction of collective bargaining rights on soccer broadcasts beginning with the 2010-11 season gave an unfair advantage to Silvio Berlusconi-controlled broadcaster Mediaset.
Sky-Italia, a satellite broadcaster in Italy, outbid Mediaset to own the lion's share of soccer broadcast rights here.
The investigation is the latest in a series of moves against the controversial law, which was passed in January, just before the collapse of the Italian government led by Romano Prodi. The aim of the law was to provide a fairer distribution of income among soccer clubs in order to lessen the advantage that big-city teams have over rivals from smaller urban areas. But critics of the law said it smacks of government intervention.
Chief among the critics is Sky-Italia, which filed a complaint with the European Union charging that the new law's introduction of collective bargaining rights on soccer broadcasts beginning with the 2010-11 season gave an unfair advantage to Silvio Berlusconi-controlled broadcaster Mediaset.
Sky-Italia, a satellite broadcaster in Italy, outbid Mediaset to own the lion's share of soccer broadcast rights here.
- 3/18/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Media tycoon and three-time prime minister Silvio Berlusconi refused to back a plan for a three-month temporary government Monday, forcing the leader appointed to form that government to quit and making snap elections likely to land Berlusconi back in power all but inevitable.
Berlusconi, the billionaire whose media empire includes broadcast giant Mediaset and film distributor Medusa, was narrowly defeated by former European Commission President Romano Prodi in 2006. Berlusconi was a constant critic of Prodi's government, which collapsed late last month after a tumultuous 20-month stint.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano tried to appoint a temporary caretaker government to push through a series of electoral reforms to help stabilize a beleaguered Italian political system that produced 61 governments in 62 years. But Berlusconi, riding high in opinion polls, dug his heels in and demanded immediate elections.
Without the support from Berlusconi and his allies, plans for a temporary government never gained traction, making it likely that Napolitano will on Tuesday call for new elections -- a vote pundits say Berlusconi is poised to win.
Berlusconi, the billionaire whose media empire includes broadcast giant Mediaset and film distributor Medusa, was narrowly defeated by former European Commission President Romano Prodi in 2006. Berlusconi was a constant critic of Prodi's government, which collapsed late last month after a tumultuous 20-month stint.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano tried to appoint a temporary caretaker government to push through a series of electoral reforms to help stabilize a beleaguered Italian political system that produced 61 governments in 62 years. But Berlusconi, riding high in opinion polls, dug his heels in and demanded immediate elections.
Without the support from Berlusconi and his allies, plans for a temporary government never gained traction, making it likely that Napolitano will on Tuesday call for new elections -- a vote pundits say Berlusconi is poised to win.
ROME -- Silvio Berlusconi's plans to return to power went from "long shot" to "likely" late Monday, after plans to solve Italy's protracted political crisis by forming a temporary caretaker government were abandoned and snap elections appeared all but inevitable.
Pollsters said that the favorite to win any election held in the near term in Italy would probably be Berlusconi, the controversial billionaire media magnate.
The polling firm Opinioni said Monday that Berlusconi's approval levels continued to hover around 50% -- not particularly high, but downright lofty compared to 13% for Romano Prodi, who resigned as prime minister last month, and about 35% for Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, Berlusconi's most likely opponent if elections are called.
"These things can change very fast but people know what they're getting with Berlusconi, and the evidently feel comfortable with the notion of him in charge," Maria Rossi, Opinioni's co-director, said in an interview. "Under the current circumstances, Berlusconi has to be a strong favorite."
If he wins, it will be the fourth time Berlusconi drapes himself with the prime minister's sash.
Pollsters said that the favorite to win any election held in the near term in Italy would probably be Berlusconi, the controversial billionaire media magnate.
The polling firm Opinioni said Monday that Berlusconi's approval levels continued to hover around 50% -- not particularly high, but downright lofty compared to 13% for Romano Prodi, who resigned as prime minister last month, and about 35% for Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, Berlusconi's most likely opponent if elections are called.
"These things can change very fast but people know what they're getting with Berlusconi, and the evidently feel comfortable with the notion of him in charge," Maria Rossi, Opinioni's co-director, said in an interview. "Under the current circumstances, Berlusconi has to be a strong favorite."
If he wins, it will be the fourth time Berlusconi drapes himself with the prime minister's sash.
ROME -- Italian broadcaster Mediaset could begin to come under pressure if Silvio Berlusconi's efforts to earn a fourth stint as Italian prime minister keep him out of the Mediaset board room for an extended period of time, financial analysts said Thursday.
Berlusconi, Mediaset's controlling shareholder, has been trying to position himself to re-take the prime minister post ever since a government crisis resulted in the Jan. 24 resignation of political rival Romano Prodi.
Berlusconi's best chance to return to power took a blow Wednesday, when Italian president Giorgio Napolitano asked the head of the Italian Senate, Franco Marini, to form a temporary caretaker government with a mandate to re-write Italian electoral laws. Such a move would likely hurt Berlusconi's chances to win new elections.
Berlusconi said Thursday that he will refuse to back Marini's government, demanding immediate elections instead.
"The result is likely to be a drawn out fight that could ultimately result in snap elections or re-shape the electoral laws in a way that favors Berlusconi and his allies," said Giacomo Levy, a political scientist with Romanina University in the Italian capital.
Berlusconi, Mediaset's controlling shareholder, has been trying to position himself to re-take the prime minister post ever since a government crisis resulted in the Jan. 24 resignation of political rival Romano Prodi.
Berlusconi's best chance to return to power took a blow Wednesday, when Italian president Giorgio Napolitano asked the head of the Italian Senate, Franco Marini, to form a temporary caretaker government with a mandate to re-write Italian electoral laws. Such a move would likely hurt Berlusconi's chances to win new elections.
Berlusconi said Thursday that he will refuse to back Marini's government, demanding immediate elections instead.
"The result is likely to be a drawn out fight that could ultimately result in snap elections or re-shape the electoral laws in a way that favors Berlusconi and his allies," said Giacomo Levy, a political scientist with Romanina University in the Italian capital.
ROME -- A Milan court on Wednesday cleared media tycoon and three-time prime minister Silvio Berlusconi on 20-year-old charges of false accounting -- a stroke of good news that comes as the billionaire looks to position himself for a return to power with a fourth stint as Italy's head of government.
Italian president Giorgio Napolitano was set to announce later Wednesday or on Thursday that he would call for new elections or set up a caretaker government to push through a series of electoral reforms. Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned last week, setting up a possibility that Berlusconi could end up back in the political arena.
While waiting on the news from Napolitano, Berlusconi was boosted by news that the charges of false accounting tied to Berlusconi's struggle to take control of state food conglomerate SME in the late 1980s had been dropped. Berlusconi was found innocent of the charges in 2004, but the case was reopened last year because of some irregularities related to the trial.
Italian president Giorgio Napolitano was set to announce later Wednesday or on Thursday that he would call for new elections or set up a caretaker government to push through a series of electoral reforms. Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned last week, setting up a possibility that Berlusconi could end up back in the political arena.
While waiting on the news from Napolitano, Berlusconi was boosted by news that the charges of false accounting tied to Berlusconi's struggle to take control of state food conglomerate SME in the late 1980s had been dropped. Berlusconi was found innocent of the charges in 2004, but the case was reopened last year because of some irregularities related to the trial.
- 1/31/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Shares in Italian broadcast and cinema giant Mediaset rallied in heavy trading Friday, outpacing a strong day on the Italian Stock Exchange on speculation that the company's leading shareholder Silvio Berlusconi could earn a fourth stint as Italy's prime minister.
The share's closed at 6.08 euros ($8.93), up 3% on a day when the main index on the Milan bourse gained 1.3%. But the shares traded as much as 8.8% higher earlier in the session before retreating late in the day as investors sold shares to lock in profits ahead of the weekend.
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi turned in his resignation late Thursday after narrowly losing a no-confidence vote in the Italian Senate. Giorgio Napolitano, the country's president, will soon decide whether to ask Prodi or another figure to head a caretaker government that will push through an electoral reform to set the stage for new elections, or whether to call snap elections without the reform.
The share's closed at 6.08 euros ($8.93), up 3% on a day when the main index on the Milan bourse gained 1.3%. But the shares traded as much as 8.8% higher earlier in the session before retreating late in the day as investors sold shares to lock in profits ahead of the weekend.
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi turned in his resignation late Thursday after narrowly losing a no-confidence vote in the Italian Senate. Giorgio Napolitano, the country's president, will soon decide whether to ask Prodi or another figure to head a caretaker government that will push through an electoral reform to set the stage for new elections, or whether to call snap elections without the reform.
- 1/26/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has scheduled a no-confidence vote in the Italian parliament for Wednesday, creating the possibility that media tycoon and three-time Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi could find himself back in power as soon as next week.
Prodi's battered coalition fell apart when Clemente Mastella, then minister of justice, resigned and pulled his tiny three-member Senate delegation away from the ruling coalition. That forced Prodi to call for a risky no-confidence vote that would force him to resign if it passes. And passage is a real possibility given that, without Mastella's party, Prodi's allies are two votes short of a majority in the senate.
A no-confidence vote could open the door for the 71-year-old Berlusconi to return to power. Though Berlusconi, who controls Italian broadcast and cinema giant Mediaset, has vowed to distance himself from politics to make room for younger members of the opposition coalition, he has been the most visible opposition figure since the cracks started appearing in Prodi's coalition.
Prodi's battered coalition fell apart when Clemente Mastella, then minister of justice, resigned and pulled his tiny three-member Senate delegation away from the ruling coalition. That forced Prodi to call for a risky no-confidence vote that would force him to resign if it passes. And passage is a real possibility given that, without Mastella's party, Prodi's allies are two votes short of a majority in the senate.
A no-confidence vote could open the door for the 71-year-old Berlusconi to return to power. Though Berlusconi, who controls Italian broadcast and cinema giant Mediaset, has vowed to distance himself from politics to make room for younger members of the opposition coalition, he has been the most visible opposition figure since the cracks started appearing in Prodi's coalition.
- 1/23/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
FLORENCE, Italy -- Italy's Silvio Berlusconi says he will go back to being a full-time politician -- and just a part-time media tycoon -- in the wake of his decision to found a new political party.
The three-time Prime Minister is the largest shareholder for Italian television and cinema giant Mediaset.
Less than 18 months after being narrowly voted out of office, Berlusconi announced he would dissolve the Forza Italia (Let's Go Italy) party he created in 1993 in favor of a new umbrella party called the Partito del Popolo Italiano (The Party of the Italian People). Berlusconi said the new party would will opposition groups and help unseat Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Berlusconi's chief rival in elections next year.
The party was officially launched Monday, and immediately attracted criticism from Berlusconi's former allies, most of whom rejected calls to join the new organization.
"I have yet to understand whether this is a new party or a rebranding of Forza Italia, but, either way, we are not interested," said Gianfranco Fini, the leader for the right-wing party Allianza Nazionale (National Alliance), which would become the largest opposition party if Forza Italia ceased to exist.
The three-time Prime Minister is the largest shareholder for Italian television and cinema giant Mediaset.
Less than 18 months after being narrowly voted out of office, Berlusconi announced he would dissolve the Forza Italia (Let's Go Italy) party he created in 1993 in favor of a new umbrella party called the Partito del Popolo Italiano (The Party of the Italian People). Berlusconi said the new party would will opposition groups and help unseat Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Berlusconi's chief rival in elections next year.
The party was officially launched Monday, and immediately attracted criticism from Berlusconi's former allies, most of whom rejected calls to join the new organization.
"I have yet to understand whether this is a new party or a rebranding of Forza Italia, but, either way, we are not interested," said Gianfranco Fini, the leader for the right-wing party Allianza Nazionale (National Alliance), which would become the largest opposition party if Forza Italia ceased to exist.
- 11/20/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italy's cinema reform bill, which will create nationwide incentives for producers making films in Italy and streamline the credit and tax rebate process for Italian-made productions, passed the Italian Senate on Monday.
Although the senate's passing of the bill -- officially known as Article 7 of the 2008 budget -- does not make it law, the upper house of the Italian parliament was considered one of the main obstacles to its passage.
The measure is backed by the government of Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, which holds a wider majority in the lower house of parliament -- set to vote on the measure next -- than it does in the senate.
Although the senate's passing of the bill -- officially known as Article 7 of the 2008 budget -- does not make it law, the upper house of the Italian parliament was considered one of the main obstacles to its passage.
The measure is backed by the government of Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, which holds a wider majority in the lower house of parliament -- set to vote on the measure next -- than it does in the senate.
- 11/13/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Davide Croff, longtime head of the Venice Biennale Foundation, will not continue in that capacity, Italy's Ministry of Culture said Thursday. A replacement is expected to be named next month.
Speculation about Croff's future started when Prime Minister Romano Prodi was elected last year.
The position traditionally has been considered a political appointment, and Croff had been appointed by media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, Prodi's main political rival.
Opinion seemed to shift in recent months, with Croff telling The Hollywood Reporter in September that he felt the position was no longer political, while local media speculated that Croff would be kept on.
But indications from Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli -- who announced the change late Wednesday at a Biennale Foundation meeting -- are that Croff's regular clashes with local and regional politicians, such as Veneto regional president Giancarlo Galan and Venice Mayor Massimo Cacciari, were too much.
While Rutelli praised Croff's work, particularly in terms of increasing the Biennale's private sector financing, he also said that "bad feelings between local institutions and the Biennale make a continued relationship impossible."
Galan, quoted in the local press, was more succinct: "Croff can consider his mandate concluded," he said.
Speculation about Croff's future started when Prime Minister Romano Prodi was elected last year.
The position traditionally has been considered a political appointment, and Croff had been appointed by media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, Prodi's main political rival.
Opinion seemed to shift in recent months, with Croff telling The Hollywood Reporter in September that he felt the position was no longer political, while local media speculated that Croff would be kept on.
But indications from Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli -- who announced the change late Wednesday at a Biennale Foundation meeting -- are that Croff's regular clashes with local and regional politicians, such as Veneto regional president Giancarlo Galan and Venice Mayor Massimo Cacciari, were too much.
While Rutelli praised Croff's work, particularly in terms of increasing the Biennale's private sector financing, he also said that "bad feelings between local institutions and the Biennale make a continued relationship impossible."
Galan, quoted in the local press, was more succinct: "Croff can consider his mandate concluded," he said.
- 10/19/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Davide Croff, longtime head of the Venice Biennale Foundation, will not continue in that capacity, Italy's Ministry of Culture said Thursday. A replacement is expected to be named next month.
Speculation about Croff's future started when Prime Minister Romano Prodi was elected last year.
The position traditionally has been considered a political appointment, and Croff had been appointed by media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, Prodi's main political rival.
Opinion seemed to shift in recent months, with Croff telling The Hollywood Reporter in September that he felt the position was no longer political, while local media speculated that Croff would be kept on.
But indications from Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli -- who announced the change late Wednesday at a Biennale Foundation meeting -- are that Croff's regular clashes with local and regional politicians, such as Veneto regional president Giancarlo Galan and Venice Mayor Massimo Cacciari, were too much.
While Rutelli praised Croff's work, particularly in terms of increasing the Biennale's private sector financing, he also said that "bad feelings between local institutions and the Biennale make a continued relationship impossible."
Galan, quoted in the local press, was more succinct: "Croff can consider his mandate concluded," he said.
Speculation about Croff's future started when Prime Minister Romano Prodi was elected last year.
The position traditionally has been considered a political appointment, and Croff had been appointed by media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, Prodi's main political rival.
Opinion seemed to shift in recent months, with Croff telling The Hollywood Reporter in September that he felt the position was no longer political, while local media speculated that Croff would be kept on.
But indications from Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli -- who announced the change late Wednesday at a Biennale Foundation meeting -- are that Croff's regular clashes with local and regional politicians, such as Veneto regional president Giancarlo Galan and Venice Mayor Massimo Cacciari, were too much.
While Rutelli praised Croff's work, particularly in terms of increasing the Biennale's private sector financing, he also said that "bad feelings between local institutions and the Biennale make a continued relationship impossible."
Galan, quoted in the local press, was more succinct: "Croff can consider his mandate concluded," he said.
- 10/19/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italy's 2008 draft budget includes provisions to reimburse filmmakers up to €1 million ($1.3 million) per project for filming done within Italy, according to information published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale on Wednesday.
The reimbursement, which would be valid for projects made in 2008, 2009, or 2010, would cover up to 40% of the money spent for the project in Italy, to a maximum of $1.3 million. At least 80% of a project must be filmed in Italy in order for it to be eligible.
The money is not in lieu of regional cinema-promotion funds, but a spokesman for the Ministry of Culture said that the regional or local funding a project receives would likely have an impact on how much national funding it could receive.
As part of the 2008 draft budget submitted to parliament by Prime Minister Romano Prodi this week, the measure must be voted on as part of the overall budget vote rather than as an independent initiative.
The reimbursement, which would be valid for projects made in 2008, 2009, or 2010, would cover up to 40% of the money spent for the project in Italy, to a maximum of $1.3 million. At least 80% of a project must be filmed in Italy in order for it to be eligible.
The money is not in lieu of regional cinema-promotion funds, but a spokesman for the Ministry of Culture said that the regional or local funding a project receives would likely have an impact on how much national funding it could receive.
As part of the 2008 draft budget submitted to parliament by Prime Minister Romano Prodi this week, the measure must be voted on as part of the overall budget vote rather than as an independent initiative.
- 10/4/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The corruption trial of three-time Prime Minister and billionaire media mogul Silvio Berlusconi will restart next month, according to information released Tuesday by Milan magistrates.
The trial, which began last year, already has been delayed half a dozen times and risks seeing some of the charges being thrown out because of statute of limitations rules if it extends deep into 2008.
The new court date will be Oct. 26, and it is unclear whether Berlusconi will be in the courtroom to answer charges that he paid British lawyer David Mills nearly $1 million to lie for him in court in relation to a previous case.
Berlusconi has denied any wrongdoing, blaming the case against him on political maneuvering from allies of current Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who defeated Berlusconi in a razor-thin vote 18 months ago.
The trial, which began last year, already has been delayed half a dozen times and risks seeing some of the charges being thrown out because of statute of limitations rules if it extends deep into 2008.
The new court date will be Oct. 26, and it is unclear whether Berlusconi will be in the courtroom to answer charges that he paid British lawyer David Mills nearly $1 million to lie for him in court in relation to a previous case.
Berlusconi has denied any wrongdoing, blaming the case against him on political maneuvering from allies of current Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who defeated Berlusconi in a razor-thin vote 18 months ago.
- 9/12/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The international arm of Italian state broadcaster RAI on Monday announced that it will begin working under a new agreement that will allow its signal to be carried by more satellite providers and will split current programming among three separate channels.
RAI International did not release budget figures related to the initiative, but it is clear the plan has some friends in high places. Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi called the new initiative "essential" in comments that appeared in the local media.
"I consider this new course for RAI International essential," Prodi said. "It is in the best interest of Italian communities abroad and it is also essential for presenting Italy to foreigners as a serious country with complex issues."
Two new channels that will begin broadcasting soon will focus on Italian news and Italian entertainment and fiction programs. A third channel, to be added within a year, will focus on sports.
Under director Piero Badaloni, RAI International is continuing its development as an autonomous entity with its own programming schedule rather than one that simply rebroadcasts programming from the broadcaster's three local Italian networks.
RAI International did not release budget figures related to the initiative, but it is clear the plan has some friends in high places. Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi called the new initiative "essential" in comments that appeared in the local media.
"I consider this new course for RAI International essential," Prodi said. "It is in the best interest of Italian communities abroad and it is also essential for presenting Italy to foreigners as a serious country with complex issues."
Two new channels that will begin broadcasting soon will focus on Italian news and Italian entertainment and fiction programs. A third channel, to be added within a year, will focus on sports.
Under director Piero Badaloni, RAI International is continuing its development as an autonomous entity with its own programming schedule rather than one that simply rebroadcasts programming from the broadcaster's three local Italian networks.
- 8/14/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch was in the Italian capital Thursday for meetings with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Minister of Communications Paolo Gentiloni.
The meeting with Prodi -- the first between the two men in more than a year -- took place over breakfast in Prodi's office. It comes as the Italian government is ramping up reforms aimed at increasing competition in the television sector.
The sector is dominated by state broadcaster RAI and Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset. News Corp.-controlled Sky Italia is the country's only significant satellite broadcaster and the third-largest broadcaster in overall terms.
Murdoch also was scheduled to meet with Berlusconi on Friday in Milan.
A Sky Italia spokesman declined to discuss Murdoch's two Thursday meetings when contacted, while a spokesman for Prodi's office said only that the two men discussed "areas of common interest."
A Mediaset spokesman did not return phone calls seeking comment about Friday's meeting between Murdoch and Berlusconi.
The meeting with Prodi -- the first between the two men in more than a year -- took place over breakfast in Prodi's office. It comes as the Italian government is ramping up reforms aimed at increasing competition in the television sector.
The sector is dominated by state broadcaster RAI and Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset. News Corp.-controlled Sky Italia is the country's only significant satellite broadcaster and the third-largest broadcaster in overall terms.
Murdoch also was scheduled to meet with Berlusconi on Friday in Milan.
A Sky Italia spokesman declined to discuss Murdoch's two Thursday meetings when contacted, while a spokesman for Prodi's office said only that the two men discussed "areas of common interest."
A Mediaset spokesman did not return phone calls seeking comment about Friday's meeting between Murdoch and Berlusconi.
- 6/29/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italian television networks have turned their backs on "Lo Sfidante" (The Challenger), a documentary about the 2006 electoral victory of Romano Prodi over then-incumbent and billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi.
Unable to reach a deal to have the film shown on Italian television networks, German director Sebastian Kruger and the film's producers have opted for a direct distribution model, selling DVDs directly to the public from a Web site unveiled Wednesday (June 6).
The documentary -- which gives an unflattering view of Italy's electoral system -- has had success elsewhere in Europe, screening earlier in the year to strong reviews in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
A spokesman for Italian state broadcaster RAI declined comment about the broadcaster's decision not to air the program. Officials from the Berlusconi-controlled Mediaset networks did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
If it had aired, it would not have been the first political story on Italian airwaves in recent months.
Unable to reach a deal to have the film shown on Italian television networks, German director Sebastian Kruger and the film's producers have opted for a direct distribution model, selling DVDs directly to the public from a Web site unveiled Wednesday (June 6).
The documentary -- which gives an unflattering view of Italy's electoral system -- has had success elsewhere in Europe, screening earlier in the year to strong reviews in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
A spokesman for Italian state broadcaster RAI declined comment about the broadcaster's decision not to air the program. Officials from the Berlusconi-controlled Mediaset networks did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
If it had aired, it would not have been the first political story on Italian airwaves in recent months.
ROME -- The latest television sector reform plan touted by the Italian government would merge the infrastructure used by Italy's three national broadcasters into a single company, with the goal of increasing competition in the sector dominated by state-run RAI and Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset.
The plan was made public Wednesday by Mario Barbi, a senior political advisor to Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who gave the general outline of the plan in parliament.
A source close to Prodi's office said that the plan could gain traction because it would be an inexpensive way to remove a barrier to entry for would-be broadcasters that don't have the infrastructure to broadcast their signal nationally.
"One change like this one would solve several problems at once," the source said.
The plan would turn RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media's La 7 network into pure content producers that would distribute their programming across the frequencies operated by the new combined infrastructure entity.
The plan was made public Wednesday by Mario Barbi, a senior political advisor to Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who gave the general outline of the plan in parliament.
A source close to Prodi's office said that the plan could gain traction because it would be an inexpensive way to remove a barrier to entry for would-be broadcasters that don't have the infrastructure to broadcast their signal nationally.
"One change like this one would solve several problems at once," the source said.
The plan would turn RAI, Mediaset and Telecom Italia Media's La 7 network into pure content producers that would distribute their programming across the frequencies operated by the new combined infrastructure entity.
- 5/10/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The weekend execution of a translator who had been working for an Afghanistan-based Italian reporter dominated the front pages of Italian newspapers Monday, increasing calls for Italy to pull out of the NATO-led mission in that country and sparking questions about the need for journalists to be sent into dangerous situations in the search for news.
Newspapers reported that journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi was killed Sunday by the Taliban. Naqshbandi had been working for Daniele Mastrogiacomo, a journalist for Rome-based La Repubblica, who was released from captivity last month after being held for two weeks. Mastrogiacomo's driver was beheaded during that time and Naqshbandi, who was working as a translator for Mastrogiacomo, was held.
Italian leaders, including Prime Minister Romano Prodi, blasted the execution. "We strongly condemn this absurd crime," Prodi said.
The execution started a new round of debate regarding Italy's role in Afghanistan. In February, Prodi's government collapsed after a failed no-confidence vote on the country's contribution of 1,900 troops for Afghanistan, and the topic flared up again after Mastrogiacomo was taken hostage last month.
Newspapers reported that journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi was killed Sunday by the Taliban. Naqshbandi had been working for Daniele Mastrogiacomo, a journalist for Rome-based La Repubblica, who was released from captivity last month after being held for two weeks. Mastrogiacomo's driver was beheaded during that time and Naqshbandi, who was working as a translator for Mastrogiacomo, was held.
Italian leaders, including Prime Minister Romano Prodi, blasted the execution. "We strongly condemn this absurd crime," Prodi said.
The execution started a new round of debate regarding Italy's role in Afghanistan. In February, Prodi's government collapsed after a failed no-confidence vote on the country's contribution of 1,900 troops for Afghanistan, and the topic flared up again after Mastrogiacomo was taken hostage last month.
- 4/10/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italy's controversial media reform package will go through as planned despite a recent government crisis, Minister of Culture Francesco Rutelli said Monday.
When Prime Minister Romano Prodi temporarily resigned Feb. 21 prior to a confidence vote in his government, it cast his slate of government programs in doubt -- including a media reform plan some say is unusually tough on Mediaset, the broadcaster owned by Prodi's chief political rival Silvio Berlusconi.
The plan includes rules that require both Mediaset and state broadcaster RAI to switch one network each to high-tech digital technologies by 2009 and caps any company's share of the television ad market to 45%. All told, Mediaset estimates that the reforms will slice more than $1 billion from its bottom line.
Prodi's troubles buoyed Mediaset shares and those of other broadcasters thought to be impacted by the plans, based on speculation that the government might lack the political strength to push the reforms through.
When Prime Minister Romano Prodi temporarily resigned Feb. 21 prior to a confidence vote in his government, it cast his slate of government programs in doubt -- including a media reform plan some say is unusually tough on Mediaset, the broadcaster owned by Prodi's chief political rival Silvio Berlusconi.
The plan includes rules that require both Mediaset and state broadcaster RAI to switch one network each to high-tech digital technologies by 2009 and caps any company's share of the television ad market to 45%. All told, Mediaset estimates that the reforms will slice more than $1 billion from its bottom line.
Prodi's troubles buoyed Mediaset shares and those of other broadcasters thought to be impacted by the plans, based on speculation that the government might lack the political strength to push the reforms through.
ROME -- Romano Prodi cleared his last significant hurdle before officially taking the reigns of Italy's 62nd government since World War II on Wednesday, winning a confidence vote exactly a week after a different vote had forced him to resign.
The good news for Prodi came as the leader's chief political rival -- three-time Prime Minister and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi -- faced increasing dissention within the ranks of his opposition coalition that could lead the billionaire to back away from his political role, ostensibly to concentrate on the Mediaset broadcasting giant he controls.
Prodi's victory with the confidence vote was largely expected. In the Senate, the former European Commission president tallied 162 votes, two more than needed for his confirmation. Last week, he received just 158 votes on a security measure, forcing him to tender his resignation.
Prodi still must pass a similar vote in the parliament's lower house Friday, but approval there is considered automatic, given the ruling coalition's cushion of more than 30 votes.
The good news for Prodi came as the leader's chief political rival -- three-time Prime Minister and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi -- faced increasing dissention within the ranks of his opposition coalition that could lead the billionaire to back away from his political role, ostensibly to concentrate on the Mediaset broadcasting giant he controls.
Prodi's victory with the confidence vote was largely expected. In the Senate, the former European Commission president tallied 162 votes, two more than needed for his confirmation. Last week, he received just 158 votes on a security measure, forcing him to tender his resignation.
Prodi still must pass a similar vote in the parliament's lower house Friday, but approval there is considered automatic, given the ruling coalition's cushion of more than 30 votes.
ROME -- Romano Prodi is back as Italian premier just days after resigning following a humiliating Senate vote, culling a few key votes from the opposition to pull together a coalition stronger and wider-ranging than the one he headed for the previous nine months.
Billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, Prodi's chief political rival, scoffed at the new government, calling it "warmed-up minestrone" adding that despite his new mandate another Prodi government would mean that, for Italians, "The agony will continue".
But not everyone agreed: Prodi's coalition was bolstered by several high-profile defections from the Berlusconi camp, including Marco Follini, Berlusconi's last deputy prime minister. Follini said he switched in order to make the government more stable and because his good will was abused under Berlusconi.
"In my career I have suffered more blows than I have dealt," a laconic Follini said upon announcing his decision.
Berlusconi and several of his allies over the weekend called for new elections to be held, noting that Berlusconi's approval levels now rest above 50% -- much higher than when he was in office -- while Prodi's is under 40% in some polls.
Billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, Prodi's chief political rival, scoffed at the new government, calling it "warmed-up minestrone" adding that despite his new mandate another Prodi government would mean that, for Italians, "The agony will continue".
But not everyone agreed: Prodi's coalition was bolstered by several high-profile defections from the Berlusconi camp, including Marco Follini, Berlusconi's last deputy prime minister. Follini said he switched in order to make the government more stable and because his good will was abused under Berlusconi.
"In my career I have suffered more blows than I have dealt," a laconic Follini said upon announcing his decision.
Berlusconi and several of his allies over the weekend called for new elections to be held, noting that Berlusconi's approval levels now rest above 50% -- much higher than when he was in office -- while Prodi's is under 40% in some polls.
- 2/24/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- A day after Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned after losing a confidence vote in the Italian Senate, his coalition rallied to prevent former prime minister and media kingpin Silvio Berlusconi from using the crisis to retake power.
But that move did nothing to hurt Mediaset, the broadcasting giant Berlusconi owns, which saw its shares surge as much as 3.5% in an otherwise flat market on speculation that aggressive media sector reforms backed by Prodi would be weakened by the political climate.
As of late Thursday, there was no progress in naming a new prime minister. Italian President Giorgio Napolitano met with political leaders from all major parties to discuss the best way to proceed. But political analysts said a new candidate to lead the government was not expected until at least Saturday and that the process could drag into next week.
In his deliberations, Napolitano has several options: He could ask Prodi or another member of his coalition to try to cobble together enough support to form a new government; he could appoint a new prime minister not closely aligned with any party to lead a caretaker government for several months; or he could call for new elections that would reshuffle parliament and could hand power back to Berlusconi and his allies.
But that move did nothing to hurt Mediaset, the broadcasting giant Berlusconi owns, which saw its shares surge as much as 3.5% in an otherwise flat market on speculation that aggressive media sector reforms backed by Prodi would be weakened by the political climate.
As of late Thursday, there was no progress in naming a new prime minister. Italian President Giorgio Napolitano met with political leaders from all major parties to discuss the best way to proceed. But political analysts said a new candidate to lead the government was not expected until at least Saturday and that the process could drag into next week.
In his deliberations, Napolitano has several options: He could ask Prodi or another member of his coalition to try to cobble together enough support to form a new government; he could appoint a new prime minister not closely aligned with any party to lead a caretaker government for several months; or he could call for new elections that would reshuffle parliament and could hand power back to Berlusconi and his allies.
- 2/23/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Stung by a humiliating Senate defeat on his foreign policy plans, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned Wednesday, crumbling Italy's 61st government since World War II and creating the possibility -- however slight -- that billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi could return to power.
Prodi defeated Berlusconi by a razor-thin margin in April, and the narrow one-person Senate majority he earned came back to haunt him Wednesday when three defections from his party left him two votes shy of the majority he needed for a confidence vote on Italy's peacekeeping role in Afghanistan.
Though the constitution does not require Prodi to resign under those circumstances, Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema -- himself a two-time prime minister and a potential candidate to succeed Prodi -- said before the vote that the government should step down if it failed to win enough support in the Senate.
Although the most likely scenario is that Prodi or another member of his coalition will be asked to form a government, a failure there could open the door to Berlusconi or another opposition figure to step in.
Prodi defeated Berlusconi by a razor-thin margin in April, and the narrow one-person Senate majority he earned came back to haunt him Wednesday when three defections from his party left him two votes shy of the majority he needed for a confidence vote on Italy's peacekeeping role in Afghanistan.
Though the constitution does not require Prodi to resign under those circumstances, Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema -- himself a two-time prime minister and a potential candidate to succeed Prodi -- said before the vote that the government should step down if it failed to win enough support in the Senate.
Although the most likely scenario is that Prodi or another member of his coalition will be asked to form a government, a failure there could open the door to Berlusconi or another opposition figure to step in.
- 2/22/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- RAI Trade, the film promotion arm of state broadcaster RAI, will promote 50 Italian films on an upcoming trade mission to India headed by Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.
It is the first time Italian film will play a significant role in a prominent Italian mission headed by Prodi, who took power last May. Prodi's predecessor, billionaire media mogul Silvio Berlusconi, more often included initiatives to promote Italian films on his trade missions.
The weeklong India visit will start Feb. 12.
The films, which were specially selected for the Indian market by RAI Trade, will include "Fuoco su di me" (Fire at My Heart) from director Lamberto Lambertini and starring Omar Sharif; Alessando D'Alatri's "La Febbre" (The Feaver); and Paolo Franchi's "La Spettatrice" (The Spectator).
"The goal is to get the first foothold for Italian film in India," Alba Calia, a RAI Trade vp, said in a statement.
The main goal of the trade mission will be to increase trade between Italy and India from its current level of $1.8 billion per year to more than $10 billion within a decade, Prodi's office said.
It is the first time Italian film will play a significant role in a prominent Italian mission headed by Prodi, who took power last May. Prodi's predecessor, billionaire media mogul Silvio Berlusconi, more often included initiatives to promote Italian films on his trade missions.
The weeklong India visit will start Feb. 12.
The films, which were specially selected for the Indian market by RAI Trade, will include "Fuoco su di me" (Fire at My Heart) from director Lamberto Lambertini and starring Omar Sharif; Alessando D'Alatri's "La Febbre" (The Feaver); and Paolo Franchi's "La Spettatrice" (The Spectator).
"The goal is to get the first foothold for Italian film in India," Alba Calia, a RAI Trade vp, said in a statement.
The main goal of the trade mission will be to increase trade between Italy and India from its current level of $1.8 billion per year to more than $10 billion within a decade, Prodi's office said.
ROME -- In the first significant indication that he may be ready to step away from politics and focus on his business interests, media tycoon and two-time Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi anointed Gianfranco Fini his political successor Monday.
Berlusconi is 70 years old and in questionable physical health, so Monday's statement is not a complete surprise. But it is significant because Berlusconi has long hinted that he might remain politically active despite circumstances.
The move to appoint Fini as the de facto head of the center-right political coation may also be designed to let Berlusconi concentrate on opposing a proposed media sector reform that could severely limit the strength of Berlusconi's Mediaset networks.
Over the weekend, Berlusconi vowed to head a massive protest against the reforms, at one point promising that 5 million Italians would "take to the streets in protest." But he later backed away from those remarks.
Berlusconi heads Forza Italia, the largest party in the center-right coalition ousted from power last year by the coalition headed by former European Commission President Romano Prodi.
Berlusconi is 70 years old and in questionable physical health, so Monday's statement is not a complete surprise. But it is significant because Berlusconi has long hinted that he might remain politically active despite circumstances.
The move to appoint Fini as the de facto head of the center-right political coation may also be designed to let Berlusconi concentrate on opposing a proposed media sector reform that could severely limit the strength of Berlusconi's Mediaset networks.
Over the weekend, Berlusconi vowed to head a massive protest against the reforms, at one point promising that 5 million Italians would "take to the streets in protest." But he later backed away from those remarks.
Berlusconi heads Forza Italia, the largest party in the center-right coalition ousted from power last year by the coalition headed by former European Commission President Romano Prodi.
- 1/29/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italy is starting to look like most of the rest of the world for News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch: fertile territory ripe for conquest.
For years, the lucrative Italian television market had been the personal playground of billionaire media kingpin Silvio Berlusconi, who commanded the airwaves from his dual perch as the head of broadcasting giant Mediaset and as the country's prime minister.
But a series of events starting with Berlusconi's razor-thin defeat to Romano Prodi in April and continuing with the passage of a new media law designed to control Mediaset's power have opened the door for Murdoch's Italian subsidiary, Sky-Italia, to gain a major foothold in the formerly impenetrable market. And Murdoch is making the most of it.
The new media law takes several steps that weaken Mediaset: from a cap that limits single advertisers to 45% of the total market -- a level which virtually cuts off growth for Mediaset, which is already near that level -- to a rule that will force both Mediaset and state broadcaster RAI to each switch one of their entrenched analog networks to a digital signal by early 2009.
Analysis from IT Media predicts the changes will cost Mediaset some €103 million ($136 million), more than any other broadcaster. And who will benefit the most? IT Media says that is Sky-Italia, which should see some €28 million ($37 million) added to its bottom line thanks to the changes.
"There's no doubt that the current situation favors Sky-Italia and it hurts Mediaset," an IT Media spokesman said in an interview. "What is less clear is whether it really gives Sky-Italia an upper hand since Mediaset is just so much bigger and more entrenched."
But it's significant that the current situation even allows for such speculation.
For years, the lucrative Italian television market had been the personal playground of billionaire media kingpin Silvio Berlusconi, who commanded the airwaves from his dual perch as the head of broadcasting giant Mediaset and as the country's prime minister.
But a series of events starting with Berlusconi's razor-thin defeat to Romano Prodi in April and continuing with the passage of a new media law designed to control Mediaset's power have opened the door for Murdoch's Italian subsidiary, Sky-Italia, to gain a major foothold in the formerly impenetrable market. And Murdoch is making the most of it.
The new media law takes several steps that weaken Mediaset: from a cap that limits single advertisers to 45% of the total market -- a level which virtually cuts off growth for Mediaset, which is already near that level -- to a rule that will force both Mediaset and state broadcaster RAI to each switch one of their entrenched analog networks to a digital signal by early 2009.
Analysis from IT Media predicts the changes will cost Mediaset some €103 million ($136 million), more than any other broadcaster. And who will benefit the most? IT Media says that is Sky-Italia, which should see some €28 million ($37 million) added to its bottom line thanks to the changes.
"There's no doubt that the current situation favors Sky-Italia and it hurts Mediaset," an IT Media spokesman said in an interview. "What is less clear is whether it really gives Sky-Italia an upper hand since Mediaset is just so much bigger and more entrenched."
But it's significant that the current situation even allows for such speculation.
ROME -- The postponement of Silvio Berlusconi's trial became official Monday, when Italian lawyers walked off the job at the start of a five-day strike. The moved coincided with the deposed prime minister's official request today for a recount of the April vote that saw him ousted from office by the thinnest of margins.
The postponement -- the third in the three-week old trial -- was largely expected. The court date had been set for Tuesday but has now been rescheduled for Jan. 12.
The Berlusconi trial has faced two previous delays. The first was when attorneys filed a motion to have the judge removed (the motion was denied) and the second came after Berlusconi fainted at a political rally.
Meanwhile, the now-recovered 70-year-old has made an official request to have the ballots from April's election recounted. Former European Commission president Romano Prodi defeated Berlusconi by just 24,000 votes -- a margin of 49.8% for Prodi to 49.7% for Berlusconi -- to end the media tycoon's five-year tenure in office.
The postponement -- the third in the three-week old trial -- was largely expected. The court date had been set for Tuesday but has now been rescheduled for Jan. 12.
The Berlusconi trial has faced two previous delays. The first was when attorneys filed a motion to have the judge removed (the motion was denied) and the second came after Berlusconi fainted at a political rally.
Meanwhile, the now-recovered 70-year-old has made an official request to have the ballots from April's election recounted. Former European Commission president Romano Prodi defeated Berlusconi by just 24,000 votes -- a margin of 49.8% for Prodi to 49.7% for Berlusconi -- to end the media tycoon's five-year tenure in office.
- 12/11/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's controversial former prime minister and media magnate, was given a clean bill of health and released from the hospital Wednesday, assuring that he will appear in court in the coming days to answer charges of corruption.
Berlusconi was admitted to the hospital Sunday after he fainted during a political rally. He was originally expected to stay only one night, but his stay was extended through Wednesday when doctors said they wanted to monitor an irregular heartbeat.
The extension delayed the long-awaited start to the corruption trial for Berlusconi and 13 others. The trial is now scheduled to start Friday.
Berlusconi said he felt "great" upon leaving the hospital and vowed to lead another political rally scheduled for Saturday to criticize the policies of Italian Premier Romano Prodi, who narrowly defeated Berlusconi in elections held in April. Berlusconi did not mention his court date.
Prodi -- along with Pope Benedict XVI and U.S.
Berlusconi was admitted to the hospital Sunday after he fainted during a political rally. He was originally expected to stay only one night, but his stay was extended through Wednesday when doctors said they wanted to monitor an irregular heartbeat.
The extension delayed the long-awaited start to the corruption trial for Berlusconi and 13 others. The trial is now scheduled to start Friday.
Berlusconi said he felt "great" upon leaving the hospital and vowed to lead another political rally scheduled for Saturday to criticize the policies of Italian Premier Romano Prodi, who narrowly defeated Berlusconi in elections held in April. Berlusconi did not mention his court date.
Prodi -- along with Pope Benedict XVI and U.S.
- 11/29/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The corruption trial of beleaguered former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been delayed until Friday, judges said Monday, after the 70-year-old media tycoon was told by his doctors that he will be kept in the hospital until at least Wednesday to monitor possible heart problems.
The long-awaited start to the case was scheduled for Monday after a motion to have the judge dismissed was denied last week.
The early stages of the trial will be largely technical -- it will involve attorneys on both sides filing paperwork in a Milan courtroom -- but on Monday it was overshadowed by Berlusconi's health problems. The flamboyant Berlusconi fainted at a weekend political rally and has been ordered to stay in the hospital for tests and monitoring.
On Monday, Berlusconi vowed to be out of the hospital in time to lead a rally against Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Saturday in Rome -- but he did not mention his date in court.
The long-awaited start to the case was scheduled for Monday after a motion to have the judge dismissed was denied last week.
The early stages of the trial will be largely technical -- it will involve attorneys on both sides filing paperwork in a Milan courtroom -- but on Monday it was overshadowed by Berlusconi's health problems. The flamboyant Berlusconi fainted at a weekend political rally and has been ordered to stay in the hospital for tests and monitoring.
On Monday, Berlusconi vowed to be out of the hospital in time to lead a rally against Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Saturday in Rome -- but he did not mention his date in court.
- 11/27/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The Italian government on Thursday announced the first official step in the long-awaited reform of the country's television sector, announcing that both Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset and state broadcaster RAI will have to switch one of their broadcast networks to a digital signal by 2009. Mediaset and RAI each own three of Italy's seven national networks. When Romano Prodi defeated Berlusconi in April to become Italy's prime minister, he vowed to increase competition in a sector that is essentially a duopoly.
- 10/12/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi was interrupted several times and eventually prevented from finishing by aggressive heckling during a parliamentary address in which he stressed that he did not improperly interfere with internal matters regarding Telecom Italia. Prodi, who played a controversial role in the ongoing reorganization plans at the former state telephone monopoly, also said that any future steps by the communications giant would be closely scrutinized. The address late Thursday was dominated by jeers and catcalls from opposition lawmakers who insisted that Prodi should resign from his position for allegedly exercising illegal influence over the beleaguered company. It is a charge Prodi strongly denied.
- 9/29/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Telecom Italia plans to stay on the course it hopes will make it a major media player, company officials said Monday, even as the fallout from the abrupt resignation of chief executive Marco Tronchetti Provera continues to spread. Angelo Rovati, a key advisor to Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, has resigned over his role in what are reported to be questionable government tactics in trying to persuade Tronchetti Provera not to sell off the company's mobile phone unit. Prodi, who returns from a trade mission to China on Tuesday, is expected to take questions from parliament on the subject, possibly this week.
- 9/18/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The spotlight from the ongoing Telecom Italia scandal has shifted to Italian Premier Romano Prodi, who regulators say may be guilty of interference after a series of events that resulted in the surprise resignation of beleaguered Telecom Italia chief Marco Tronchetti Provera. The former state telecommunications monopoly first hit headlines last week, when it announced intentions to sell off its lucrative mobile phone subsidiary and focus instead on becoming a major player in the Italian media sector. It is unclear whether those plans will be abandoned in the wake of Tronchetti Provera's dramatic decision to step down late Friday, though the company's new leadership has given some indication it will stay the controversial course Tronchetti Provera established.
- 9/17/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- The office of Italian Premier Romano Prodi on Thursday released details of a closed-door meeting with Telecom Italia chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera in which Prodi stressed to the communications tycoon that he should not explore plans to sell its mobile phone subsidiary. Earlier this week, Tronchetti Provera did the opposite, announcing plans to spin off the unit and shop it around. Though the meeting between Prodi and Tronchetti Provera took place in July, it is in line with more recent Prodi comments that he was "distressed" at Tronchetti Provera's plans. Prodi made those comments from China, where he is leading a trade delegation.
- 9/14/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
VENICE, Italy -- Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi made a brief unscheduled visit to the Venice Film Festival late Monday, waving to crowds from the Lido's famous red carpet and giving festival organizers support for their modernization plans. Festival president Davide Croff said Tuesday that Prodi was the first sitting Italian prime minister to visit the festival in 30 years, a move he said showed the Venice festival enjoyed high levels of government support. "We had [Culture Minister Francesco] here and then Prime Minister Prodi, and these are very positive signs," Croff said.
ROME -- Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Friday described Italian television programming as "awful" and reiterated vows to reform the sector -- sparking an angry response from media tycoon and political rival Silvio Berlusconi, who accused Prodi of political posturing. In his comments, Prodi said he planned to take steps to introduce more competition into the television sector in an effort to make its news coverage "more balanced" and its entertainment programming "less awful." "Television is a defining reality in this country because Italians are obsessed with it," said Tana de Zulueta, a member of parliament from Prodi's coalition and one of the heads of the lobby group "Un'Altra TiVu" (A Different TV), which has called for wholesale reforms in the sector. "A lack of competition means that quality is forgotten." Through his allies, Berlusconi criticized Prodi's statements, saying that the newly elected leader was using his arguments to obscure the fact that he has been "ineffective" since taking office.
- 8/28/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Giorgio Napolitano was elected Italy's 11th postwar head of state Wednesday, clearing the way for Romano Prodi to be officially installed as the nation's prime minister and setting the stage for a series of reforms that could reshape the country's television sector. Napolitano, 80, was elected president on the fourth ballot despite fierce opposition from allies of outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Europe's wealthiest media tycoon. Napolitano replaces Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, 85, whose mandate will expire May 18. The first order of business for Napolitano will be to formally ask Prodi to form a new government. That will allow the former European Commission president to begin work on his package of reforms, which include a plan to request the country's antitrust regulator to rule on the fate of the local television sector.
- 7/24/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italians on Monday overwhelmingly voted down a referendum that would have placed most government power -- including spending on cultural issues -- in the hands of the country's 21 regional governments. After two days of voted concluded Monday, 62% of voters had weighed in against the measure. Then-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi put the referendum on the political calendar year before Romano Prodi, who opposed the measure, ousted him in April. Analysts said the vote will strengthen Prodi's government. If it had passed, the referendum would have represented the most radical change to Italy's constitution since it was written 60 years ago. It would have strengthened the prime minister's powers while taking many from ministries and parliament and giving them to the regions.
- 6/26/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Giorgio Napolitano was elected Italy's 11th postwar head of state Wednesday, clearing the way for Romano Prodi to be officially installed as the nation's prime minister and setting the stage for a series of reforms that could reshape the country's television sector. Napolitano, 80, was elected president on the fourth ballot despite fierce opposition from allies of outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Europe's wealthiest media tycoon. Napolitano replaces Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, 85, whose mandate will expire May 18. The first order of business for Napolitano will be to formally ask Prodi to form a new government. That will allow the former European Commission president to begin work on his package of reforms, which include a plan to request the country's antitrust regulator to rule on the fate of the local television sector.
- 6/22/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Italy is studying a range of reforms aimed at limiting the power of Italy's two main broadcasters, including the likelihood of a ceiling on television advertising revenue and the possibility of forcing broadcasters Mediaset and RAI to shed assets, according to new Minister of Communications Paolo Gentiloni. The statements were Gentiloni's first on the highly contentious subject, which will have a direct bearing on the future of broadcasting giant Mediaset, which is controlled by media tycoon and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Berlusconi was ousted from power in April by Gentiloni's boss, Prime Minister Romano Prodi. RAI, which like Mediaset owns three of seven national networks, is owned and operated by the state.
ROME -- Giorgio Napolitano was elected Italy's 11th postwar head of state Wednesday, clearing the way for Romano Prodi to be officially installed as the nation's prime minister and setting the stage for a series of reforms that could reshape the country's television sector. Napolitano, 80, was elected president on the fourth ballot despite fierce opposition from allies of outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Europe's wealthiest media tycoon. Napolitano replaces Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, 85, whose mandate will expire May 18. The first order of business for Napolitano will be to formally ask Prodi to form a new government. That will allow the former European Commission president to begin work on his package of reforms, which include a plan to request the country's antitrust regulator to rule on the fate of the local television sector.
- 5/16/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ROME -- Giorgio Napolitano was elected Italy's 11th postwar head of state Wednesday, clearing the way for Romano Prodi to be officially installed as the nation's prime minister and setting the stage for a series of reforms that could reshape the country's television sector. Napolitano, 80, was elected president on the fourth ballot despite fierce opposition from allies of outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Europe's wealthiest media tycoon. Napolitano replaces Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, 85, whose mandate will expire May 18. The first order of business for Napolitano will be to formally ask Prodi to form a new government. That will allow the former European Commission president to begin work on his package of reforms, which include a plan to request the country's antitrust regulator to rule on the fate of the local television sector.
- 5/10/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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