The Prime Minister of Italy


Bill Moyers on Media Reform

tingilinde has both a transcript and audio links of NPR's Bill Moyers' keynote speech to the National Conference on Media Reform last weekend. Defending free expression in the face of overwhelming media concentration and monopoly was his, and the conference's, topic. Once again I listened to the speech while following along in the transcript.

The most stunning fact I learned was his reference to Jane Kramer's recent story in the New Yorker about Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of Italy. He is Italy's richest citizen and a media mogul. Kramer quotes a critic who claims half the country's reporters work for Berlusconi and the other half think they may have to. Berlusconi has been accused of money laundering, bribery, conflicts of interest and contempt of the law. The editor of the Economist accuses him of betraying capitalism and democracy.

Posted: Mon - November 17, 2003 at 02:18 PM          

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