ITALY: Media 'black out' as journalists strike to protest proposed "gagging law"

Record ID: 339271

  • Title: ITALY: Media 'black out' as journalists strike to protest proposed "gagging law"
  • Date: 10th July 2010
  • Summary: SOUNDBITE (Italian) MARIO FRANCHI, ROME RESIDENT, SAYING: "I'm not in favour (of the strike) because it's always right to give information, there's no reason to take information away from people. It's a paradox really, the moment of "gagging" comes when I don't provide information." VARIOUS OF CUSTOMER PUTTING NEWSPAPER INTO BAG SOUNDBITE (Italian) MAURIZIO LOSI, NEWS ST
  • Embargoed: 25th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Legal System,Communications
  • Reuters ID: LVA3QUERFHGG1OQAV2VTQXWU8LGP
  • Story Text: Italy was struck by a 'black out' of information on Friday (July 09) as most journalists across the country went on strike to protest against the Italian government's proposed new "gagging law."
    Newspaper reporters and editors who went on strike on Thursday (July 08) to ensure that the following day's papers would not be printed, were joined by radio, television, and some internet journalists on Friday. Only a selection of centre-right-leaning newspapers didn't join the strike.
    News stands stood empty, with only a few people stopping to buy magazines, foreign newspapers or centre-right-leaning newspapers such as "Libero" (Free).
    Mario Franchi, who comes to the same news stand daily to get his paper, said he wasn't in favour of the strike.
    "There's no reason to take information away from people," he said. "It's a paradox really, the moment of "gagging" comes when I don't provide information."
    News stand owner Maurizio Losi said:
    "Honestly, as far as our work is concerned, the strike just damages us."
    He conceded that journalists were right to strike though, if they thought it would help them.
    The strike, organised by the National Press Association (FNSI), created a day of silence to protest against the Alfano bill - dubbed the "gagging law" - which threatens to curb police wiretaps and punish media that print transcripts.
    The strike followed a demonstration on July 1 in which more than a thousand self-gagged protesters and journalists marched through Rome's Piazza Navona under banners reading "Say no to the 'gag' law".
    Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is determined to push the bill through, defying calls from critics in the media and the judiciary to scrap measures they say will help criminals and muzzle the press.
    The bill had languished in parliament for months. But the government quickly dusted it off after newspapers printed leaked transcripts from a high-profile graft probe into public works contracts that has tainted Berlusconi's cabinet and forced Industry Minister Claudio Scajola to resign.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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