The introduction of the law is intended to prevent a repeat of the situation which allowed former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to amass media holdings worth an estimated $16 billion including commercial broadcaster Mediaset, Mondadori, Italy's largest publisher; the financial services group Mediolanum; football club AC Milan; the Medusa film company; and shares in the Blockbuster video chain and Spanish TV group Telecinco.
Romano Prodi, the Prime Minister said his government was drawing up a "good, transparent and straightforward law" that would put Italy "in line with other democratic countries".
