Call for fairer campaign air time in Italy

ROME - Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi has called for broadcasting air time to be allocated fairly ahead of the April 9 general election, as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi makes daily appearances on TV and radio.

Ciampi wrote to the head of a parliamentary panel that oversees public television company RAI, saying strict rules must be applied to ensure equal access to RAI's programmes even before the formal start of the election campaign on February 11.

Berlusconi, whose family controls three private television channels and who, as Prime Minister, has indirect influence on the three public ones run by RAI, launched a media blitz three weeks ago in an attempt to cut the Opposition's lead in polls.

The Opposition was further angered this month when Berlusconi persuaded Ciampi to delay dissolving Parliament to February 11, two weeks after the previously agreed date of January 29, giving him extra time to dominate the airwaves.

Once Parliament is dissolved broadcasters have to give equal air time to parties under election law.

- REUTERS