Berlusconi: landmarks
Landmarks
This chronology is indicative only. It covers -
- beginnings
- Canale 5 and Retequattro (1980)
- La Cinq and La Standa (1986)
- Forza Italia (1993)
- Citizen Berlusconi? (2001)
Context is provided by the broader communications and media timeline on this site.
Beginnings
1936 Silvio Berlusconi born
1960 Corte Costituzionale rules that state broadcaster RAI monopoly is unconstitutional
1962 Berlusconi establishes real estate development company Cantieri Riuniti Milanesi
1963 establishes Edilnord property and construction group, builds residential district at Brugherio
1965 marries Carla Dell'Oglio
1969 builds Milano 2 residential development, later builds Milano 3 and Il Girasole developments
1973 founds cable television station Telemilano to service Milano 2
1974 Telemilano starts operation
1975 establishes Fininvest holding group
1976 Corte Costituzionale ruling allows local radio and television
1977 Berlusconi buys 12% of Il Giornale
1978 founds 'virtual' national television network - local stations simultaneously broadcast the same programs
1978 buys Milan's Teatro Manzoni
1979 increases Il Giornale stake to 38%, later gains all shares
Canale 5 and Retequattro
1980 launches Canale 5 television network
1980 Rete Italia establishes Publitalia advertising company
1982 launches Programma Italia financial services company
1983 buys Italia Uno television network from Rusconi publishing group for 30 billion lire
1983 sells 49% of Il Giornale to Fininvest
1984 buys Retequattro television network from Arnoldo Mondadori publishing group
1984 prime minister Craxi's 'Berlusconi Decree' overturns court order banning Berlusconi from broadcasting
1984 Programma Italia buys Mediolanum Assicurazioni insurance company
1985 marries Carla Dell'Oglio
1985 buys stake in Mondadori publishing group
1985 buys cinema chain
La Cinq and La Standa
1985 launches La Cinq tv network in France in partnership with Jerome Seydoux
1986 Seydoux leaves La Cinq following elections, replaced by Robert Hersant
1986 Berlusconi becomes chair of AC Milan soccer club, with most equity in club
1987 involved in Telefunf network in Germany
1988 buys La Standa department store group
1989 takes stake in Telecinco network in Spain with Kirch
1990 Legge Mammi creates Berlusconi/RAI duopoly
1990 Berlusconi marries Veronica Lario
1990 Hersant and Berlusconi withdraw from La Cinq
1990 bitter fight with de Benedetti for control of Mondadori publishing group and la Repubblica
1991 buys Mondadori
1992-94 shrugs off bribery, tax fraud and creative accounting litigation during the Tagentopoli ("Bribesville") investigations
Forza Italia
1993 forms populist Forza Italia party
1994 Forza Italia becomes largest bloc in national parliament
1994 Belusconi becomes PM, with Forza Italia in coalition with neo-fascist Alleanza Nazionale and Northern League, but resigns at end of year
1994 Fininvest spins off media and advertising assets into Mediaset
1995 sells 20% stake in Mediaset to Kirch (10%) and others for US$1.1 billion
1996 reduces Mediaset stake to under 50% through a public flotation, with Berlusconi getting around US$550m through share sale
1998 sells La Standa's discount store arm (167 locations)
1999 Epsilon MediaGroup established as 50% partnership with Kirch
2000 Mediolanum pays €470m for 2% stake in Mediobanca
Citizen Berlusconi?
2001 becomes PM again
2001 Mediaset buys Radio Italia (national commercial radio network), advertising agency Editoriale Sper, syndication company CNR and news agency AGR
2001 sells 9% stake in mobile phone operator Blu
2005 Berlusconi reduces stake in Mediaset to 34% with sale of 16.7% interest for €2 billion
2006 loses election and ceases to be Italian Prime Minister
2006 Mondadori agrees to buy Emap France (magazine operations including Le Film Francais, Tele Star and Tele Poche) from EMAP for £380m
2007 Mediaset, John de Mol and Goldman Sachs pay US$3.56bn for Telefonica's 75% in Endemol NV