Silvio Berlusconi dies at 86 years old, leaving behind a media legacy in Spain
ARCHIVED ARTICLE -
The former Italian PM created a television empire in Spain with his company Mediaset España
Silvio Berlusconi, former Italian Prime Minister and media mogul, has died this Monday June 12 at the age of 86. His death not only marks the end of an era in Italian politics, but also in Spanish television.
He was suffering from leukaemia and had been in hospital on and off since April 5. Over the course of his career, the controversial politician and media tycoon had been embroiled in sexual scandals and accusations of corruption, but his party ‘Forza Italia’ is nonetheless currently a junior partner in Italy’s ruling coalition.
Berlusconi was Prime Minister of Italy on three separate occasions (1994-1995, 2001-2006 and 2008-2011), testament to his popularity among Italian people, but before that he was an entrepreneur and investor in media companies, mainly in Italy but also in Spain.
He began by founding the channels Telemilano (1974) and Canale 5 (1978) in his native country, before later acquiring Italia 1 and Rete. His first international breakthrough came in 1985 when he founded La Cinq, which was the first free-to-air private channel in France.
Not satisfied with this success, Silvio Berlusconi landed in Spain in March 1989 with Mediaset España, which has been one of the biggest and most important television media companies in Spain, earning an average over 450 million euros every year.
Mediaset started out small, at first only broadcasting in the afternoons and evenings. Eventually, though, the group and its programming grew to the point where Silvio Berlusconi was the owner of the most important empire in Spanish television.
The company now operates popular TV channels Telecinco, Cuatro, Factoría de Ficción, Boing, Divinity, Energy and Be Mad.
Just over a month ago, on Wednesday May 3, 2023, Mediaset España ceased to be listed on the four Spanish stock exchanges after it merged with the conglomerate MFE-Media For Europe, a move orchestrated by Berlusconi to create a pan-European media and entertainment group that would have “a leading position in its local markets, greater scale to compete and the potential to further expand its geographic footprint across Europe”.
The death of Berlusconi now raises questions over the future of his seat in the Italian senate, of course, as he was a sitting senator in the Italian parliament when he died, but also presents an uncertain future for his businesses, including the Spanish television empire he created.
To be listed on the CAMPOSOL TODAY MAP please call +34 968 018 268.
To be listed on the CONDADO TODAY MAP please call +34 968 018 268.
Guidelines for submitting articles to Camposol Today
Hello, and thank you for choosing CamposolToday.com to publicise your organisation’s info or event.
Camposol Today is a website set up by Murcia Today specifically for residents of the urbanisation in Southwest Murcia, providing news and information on what’s happening in the local area, which is the largest English-speaking expat area in the Region of Murcia.
When submitting text to be included on Camposol Today, please abide by the following guidelines so we can upload your article as swiftly as possible:
Send an email to editor@camposoltoday.com or contact@murciatoday.com
Attach the information in a Word Document or Google Doc
Include all relevant points, including:
Who is the organisation running the event?
Where is it happening?
When?
How much does it cost?
Is it necessary to book beforehand, or can people just show up on the day?
…but try not to exceed 300 words
Also attach a photo to illustrate your article, no more than 100kb