Freedom of media: Italy's solution will be a precedent

VIENNA, 22 June 2001 (OSCE) - On 21 June, Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, spoke at the OSCE Permanent Council addressing his concerns regarding the central task of his mandate: the concentration of control of TV media in the hands of a democratically elected government.

The Representative was referring to the new government in Italy. The result of the announced separation of the influence of Silvio Berlusconi on private TV-media from his obligations as Prime Minister will concern the work of the office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media in the participating States.

A good and acceptable solution in Italy could become an important example in the future of how to disentangle government control and the independence of media for all participating States, stressed Freimut Duve. A unacceptable half-way solution, which might be interpreted as a hidden none-separation, might allow leaders in some of the newly emerging democracies to misuse the example of Italy so as to insist on at least partially controlling the media. This would make the work of his office even more difficult than it was already, underlined the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

For further information please contact the office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, tel.: + 43 1 512 21 45-0, fax: + 43 1 512 21 45-9