AUDIOVISUAL POLICY/ITALY: MPs LIMIT ON OWNERSHIP OF TELEVISION CHANNELS.

The text was approved by 230 votes to 222. However it has still to be endorsed in identical terms by the Senate in order to become law. If further amended, the bill would return before the lower chamber.

The opposition welcomed the approval of its amendment, regarded as a summons to the Prime Minister to offload one of the Mediaset group's three television channels. "I am very pleased. Berlusconi must now part company with one of his channels", said Luciano Violante, head of the opposition Democratic Left party. Francesco Rutelli, leader of the Olive tree coalition of centre-left parties, of which the Democratic Left is a member, hailed the vote as "a demonstration that the centre-left exists, is strong and wins when it puts forward clear ideas".

The Government coalition, which has a majority in both houses of Parliament, has however announced its intention to further amend the text in the Senate. Maurizio Gasparri, the Communications Minister and author of the media reform bill tabled before Parliament pointed out that "there will be second stage in the Senate". Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini, leader of the National Alliance, meanwhile expressed his conviction that the text will be further amended by Senators.

The amendment...