MetaFilter posts tagged with italy and Politics

Videocracy

acb — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:11:30 -0800

A new documentary by a Swedish-based Italian filmmaker examines how media mogul turned two-time president Silvio Berlusconi's 30-year grip on Italian television has shaped the country, its politics, its culture and society. Erik Gandini's Videocracy, which screens at the Venice Film Festival, starts 30 years ago, when Berlusconi introduced a quiz show whose female contestants stripped for the camera, and charts 30 years of showgirls, celebrities, reality TV shows and Berlusconi's rise to political power, and interviews characters of the system, including a talentless but fame-hungry TV contestant, a fascist-sympathising media fixer, and a paparazzo/extortionist turned celebrity. More details here and (with a trailer) here. Perhaps unsurprisingly, both Berlusconi's private TV channels and the state broadcaster RAI have refused to run advertisements for the film.

Niccolo Machiavelli

homunculus — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:35:04 -0800

The Florentine. Niccolò Machiavelli, the man who taught rulers how to rule.

Mr Berlusconi!

wilful — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 19:02:39 -0800

Silvio Berlusconi humps a meter maid. Ubiquitous youtube link.

50% off for Iranian Olympic skiers

Protocols of the Elders of Awesome — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 12:52:02 -0800

In the Muslim world, the major argument against punishing European governments for the cartoon scandal is that it was not caused by those governments, but by private newspapers. Italy's Reform Minister tries to put things right.

guess who?

amberglow — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 19:36:56 -0800

"I am the Jesus Christ of politics," says this controversial leader. He's also Napoleon, but taller, and recently told people: "Mussolini never killed anyone. Mussolini used to send people on vacation in internal exile." Think we're the only country whose leader makes planetary gaffes? Think again--and elections are coming. You've got to admire the balls on a guy who owns much of his country's media, yet says: "If I, taking care of everyone's interests, also take care of my own, you can't talk about a conflict of interest."

MAYORBOB — Sat, 08 Dec 2001 23:38:40 -0800

Italy privatizes its culture. At least that's what will happen when a bill turning management of all of its museums sails through the Parliament this week. Critics of the Berlesconi-driven measure say that trying to turn culture into a profit center is foolish as there are only a few attractions that make any money now.