Berlusconi - Reuters took him global

Back in the winter of early 1978, I spent time aplenty at a court-room in Turin where the leaders of the Red Brigades were on trial, while their comrades-in-arms outside had taken Italy’s political kingmaker Aldo Moro hostage, in time they murdered him. One evening, away from the press corps covering the trial, I watched local TV, saw a hit show featuring housewives who stripped down to little or nothing when male callers answered pop quiz questions correctly. I filed a 10-para piece on the show and the channel, Canal Cinque, TeleMilano, owned by one Silvio Berlusconi. Let’s just say it went global, from the New York Times to the South China Morning Post. My bureau chief, dear Roland Dallas, took me to lunch celebrating a story that had the bosses in effusive mood over its usage. Years later, accompanying the UN Secretary-General to the first G20 summit in Washington DC, I told Berlusconi’s chief adviser, attending with her Prime Minister, the tale. “I will tell him about this on our way home,” she said. “He’s a very vain man, he will enjoy it.” Talk about knowing your boss! ■