Italians urged to switch off TVs

[eric_schafer]

could something like this work in the US?

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Italians urged to switch off TVs

Television networks in Italy are facing a nationwide weekend walkout - not by staff, but by unhappy viewers...

The strike's organisers, campaign group Esterni, have arranged discounts at a range of venues for people who bring their remote controls with them...

Television is one of the principal causes of dullness and isolation, and is a drain on precious commodity of human time, according to the Esterni website...

Italian television has come under the spotlight recently regarding who controls it...

Protesters took to the streets earlier this month after the Senate backed a bill that will essentially allow Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to strengthen his hold on the media.

more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3313187.stm

[Judi Lynn]

1. Isn't THAT a great idea?

I just found out myself very recently that Berlusconi owns a ton of Italian media.

Really bad form.

Good luck to the strikers. They've hit upon a brilliant tactic to drive home awareness.

[Dirk39]

12. A ton?

This is about the bill that progressed the italian parliament in june this year:
"By allowing more advertising, the bill will increase the dominance of RAI and Mediaset, which together already absorb 93 per cent of the money spent on television advertising. Mediaset alone takes 63 per cent."
reporters without frontiers
Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[Judi Lynn]

14. Thanks for the article on the legislation to give Berluscone even more

of what he has in excess now.

A civilized man would be afraid of public opinion seeing him as a pig. Apparently he's not a prisoner of conventional things like self-control, self-discipline, and awareness of other people.

He's a perfect collegue for our own guy, _{George W. Bush.}

[Robb]

2. It's actually a shrewd strategy

Think about all the advertisers who'll want reduced rates or refunds for their spots airing on the day when they know no one will be watching! That's hitting a network where it hurts!

[eric_schafer]

3. I hadn't even thought of that aspect

Somebody's wearing their thinking cap today!

[leesa]

4. This is very smart!

[GermanDJ]

5. Lovely

:hi:

I wonder why people don't do this more often.

"we turn off the tv" ~ Jane Siberry (the white tent the raft)

[maxsolomon]

6. berlusconi owns like 9 of the 10 national stations

and what he shows with that power is t & a.

i wish the italian viewers much success, and hope they inspire a movement similar in america. but i have little faith. i can't even get the tv off in my house. teenagers.

[0007]

7. Wish we'd have one them goddamn tv strikes for FOX - CNN - MSNBC

Sounds like Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is trying to be like junior, 'eh?

[eric_schafer]

8. i think something like this could be organized in the US

but on a local level. for instance, i bet you could convince locally-owned restaurants to arrange a decent discount for folks who brought in their remote controls.

if it was very successful the first time, you could then ask them to make it a monthly occurrence.

i don't see national companies being interested in such a push, but you never know.

one danger is that the tactic could be co-opted by the conglomerates, who would then just make their money selling food rather than advertising. but at least people are less likely to be indoctrinated sitting in front of a plate of food than if they were sitting in front of a television.

[govegan]

9. Really, this is a GREAT idea!

Although it wouldn't work for me, sans TV and all, my only remotes are for stereo components.

I would glad bring my CD remote for a discounted plate of fine Italian pasta, la dolce vita!

Is this Berlusconi related to Mussolini? I think he has some of the trappings of a little fascist idiot.

[loudnclear]

10. Let's send them some supportive e-mails and get info on how to organize

this in the US. It would be great to do in prime time.

[Gloria]

11. Meanwhile, over at the BBC.....

From the current World Media Watch.....let's see if the BBC goes down the tubes....

4//The Guardian Thursday December 11, 2003 2:15 pm http://media.guardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,1104961,00.html

‘BRITISH PEOPLE TO DECIDE FUTURE OF BBC’

Jason Deans

The government today launched its biggest ever public consultation about the future of the BBC, appealing to the millions of licence fee payers to air their views on the corporation's funding, structure and obligations.



(snip)


Ms Jowell said that for the first time the future of the BBC would be decided by the "British people", rather than the "great and the good".



A consultation leaflet published by the culture department today called Your BBC, Your Say asks members of the public whether they think the licence fee is the best way of paying for the BBC and, if not, for suggestions of alternative ways of funding the corporation - a potentially explosive question.



The document also invites licence fee payers to say whether they think the BBC governors should have responsibility both for how the corporation is run internally and its regulation in the public interest.



How the BBC should be regulated is another contentious issue, particularly in the light of the Iraq dossier row with the government, when critics accused governors of abandoning their role as independent guardians of the public interest in leaping to defend the BBC's journalism so quickly.



(SNIP)



Commercial rivals of the BBC are also certain to use the consultation to voice their opinions about how the corporation should be funded and run in future, which are likely to include calls for its commercial activities to be restricted.



(MORE)

[ModerateSwingVoter]

13. great idea!

[HEyHEY]

15. "Ehhh.. wha da fuck!"

Sorry I worked with a bunch...if they get to make fun of me being Irish, I get to make fun of them being Italian