The glory of Berlusconi

摘要

No matter how much he provokes them, Italians seem unable to dislodge Silvio Berlusconi. The prime minister's narrow victory in a confidence vote on December 14th leaves him weaker but in place. Shares in Mediaset, the media firm he founded, promptly rose on news of his escape. Indeed, the company is stronger than the man. Built by Mr Berlusconi in the 1970s, Mediaset is in effect controlled by his family's holding company, Fininvest. Together with rai, a state outfit also under the prime minister's sway, it forms a virtual broadcasting duopoly in Italy. Once famous for women in bikinis, Mediaset's channels now carry international reality-TV formats such as "Grande Fratello" ("Big Brother") and "Italia's Got Talent". They still squeeze in plenty of cleavage.