Are we sure is Freedom of the press the real problem?

On October 3,2009 there will be a manifestation to claim press freedom in Piazza del Popolo in Rome organized by FNSI, the national trade union of journalist.

Italian newspaper “La Repubblica” has launched an appeal on its website this ist the first sentence:

«The libel action against “Repubblica” is the last in a long list of attacks against this daily which can only be seen as attempts at silencing the free press, at benumbing public opinion, at removing us from the international information scene and ultimately at making our Country the exception to the rule of Democracy. »

As a matter of fact Italy is holds a 73rd place in Table of Global Press Freedom Rankings compiled by Freedom House. It is the only European country classified as “Partially Free”.

Maybe Mr. Berlusconi does not like press and media when they do not agree with him. Maybe his behavior on this topic is not exactly what can be expected from the premier of a modern democracy. Anyway the most worrying issue is probably not this. The main problem is how Italian public opinion reacts to this.

Newspaper like “La Repubblica” or “L’Unità” are widely sold and read as well as TV shows like “Anno zero” or “Ballarò” are on air. Mixing this with other sources Italians can be fairly informed about what is going on in their country if they want.

The question is: do they want?

Or better: do they care?

Italian hero

On September 8, 2009, at the age of 85, Mike Bongiorno died of myocardial infarction. He was an American-born Italian television host. Everybody loved him. Everybody is going to miss him in Italy. This is the piece of news. Let’s see if we can get some insight about modern Italy from this.

Was Mr. Bongiorno a fearless journalist? The kind of man ready to risk is life in order to unveil the truth? No he was not.

Was He an extraordinary actor or singer capable to touch people’s heart? No he was not.

Was he a good showman able to entertain properly his public even though not excelling in any specific art? No he was not.

So why did Italians love him?

Let’s quote from Wikipedia:

«In 1963 Umberto Eco wrote an essay entitled “Fenomenologia di Mike Bongiorno” in which he used advanced academic theories to shed light on Mike Bongiorno and his way of communicating. Eco held that Mike Bongiorno was so good at portraying himself as no better than average in every respect, that 100% of his audience could feel good about themselves, could feel that they were more sophisticated in some way.»

Is professor Eco 40 years’ old analysis still actual?

Can Mr. Bongiorno’s story tell us anything about Italians?

Is there any relationship with the Italian Smart Brains run abroad to fully express their potential?

What about lack of meritocracy?

Ancient philosophers talked about “Aurea Mediocritas” (golden mean) to express «the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency» (quoted form Wikipedia).

Maybe modern Italy has inherited just mediocritas (meaning mediocrity).

Again diverting public mind

In the past days there have been a lot of clamor on Italian media due to the postponement of Italian state television's postponement of a popular show (‘Ballaro’) to avoid drawing viewers away from a rival show on new homes for earthquake survivors (‘Porta a Porta’) featuring Silvio Berlusconi. It has been said that it was an attempt to give the prime minister positive publicity.

Anyway the supposed promotional aim was not reached since the audience of show was far below expectation. Again let’s ask a couple of questions. Are Mr. Berlusconi supporters aware of the economic damage to state television? According the administrative adviser Nino Rizzo Nervo (mentioned on repubblica.it) the loss should be some 500.000€.

But let’s ask more. What is happening in Italy while everybody are focused on Premier individual behavior? A quotation from timesonline.co.uk:

« Lawyers for Silvio Berlusconi admitted yesterday that he could resign if a law giving him immunity from prosecution is struck down next month.

If the Constitutional Court, which begins its deliberations on October 6, overturns the law “there would be damage to the functions of an elected official, which could not be carried out”, Glauco Nori, a state lawyer for the Prime Minister’s office, said. The move could cause “irreparable damage” and lead to the Prime Minister’s resignation.

The law, which Mr Berlusconi pushed through Parliament last year after coming to power for the third time, gives immunity to him, as Prime Minister, and three other holders of high office: the President — a post to which he aspires — and the Speakers of both houses of parliament.

(…)

Opposition politicians claim that the law was “tailor-made” to shield Mr Berlusconi from corruption charges. At the time the legislation was passed he was on trial in Milan for allegedly giving the British lawyer David Mills a $600,000 bribe to provide false testimony on his behalf in corruption trials in the 1990s. Mr Berlusconi’s trial was suspended but Mr Mills was sentenced in February to 4½ years in prison.

If the immunity law is overturned, charges against Mr Berlusconi are likely to be revived. There are also reports that magistrates in Milan and Palermo are investigating the Prime Minister’s alleged links to the Mafia in the 1990s.

Mr Nori said that the immunity law was not only legitimate but also obligatory, since bringing corruption charges against the Prime Minister would “limit his ability to lead the country”. However, the Milan prosecutor’s office submitted its own memorandum to the court, arguing that the immunity law violated the principle that all citizens are equal before the law.»

Shouldn’t Italian care more about the dramatic change in their legal system than the new Berlusconi’s soap episode?

Much Ado About Nothing

“Which president I should ask for permission to speak?” This is the joke of Joaquin Almunia about the recent Italian premier’s declaration. Is anybody surprised about this?

Again Italian premier said something inopportune.

Again foreign press expressed its dissent about this.

Again nobody in Italy seems to care.

Neither seem they care about other staff like unemployment, public debt, impact of the world crisis still to come.

The emperor has no clothes. So what?

In the famous fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen it was a child that pointed out the truth everyone had been refusing to admit. Nobody knows what happened later. We do know what currently happens in Italy: Just nothing.

Maybe in Italy the problem is not (much) that things are not said in TV or written on newspaper. The problem is that nobody seem to care even if the matter is very serious. On BBC website I find what follows:

What about Italy?

Let’s leave apart for a while all the news about Italian Premier and pick something else.

As the website Lavoce.info has explained in detail 400 Millions of Italian taxpayer’s money have been wasted because northern league did not want European election and Referendum to be hold in the same date. This party accounts for some 8% of Italian population.

Now the question is: has anyone seen some street demonstration? As Government or Northern League consensus decreased? Do Italians understand that were their money to be wasted? Are they so much familiar with this kind of news?