Stefano De Luigi on capturing Italy’s media manipulation era

At the height of his career, media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, who served as the prime minister of Italy in four governments, controlled a staggering 90% of Italy’s national television broadcasting.

This media empire, spanning both private channels like Mediaset and the state-run RAI, was a glossy, gaudy, and gossipy tool he used to distract, entertain, and ultimately influence the masses.

German-born Italian photographer Stefano De Luigi, witnessing this firsthand, spent over a decade (from 1994 to 2008) capturing behind-the-scenes moments from Italy’s most popular reality shows and entertainment programmes during this transformative period.

His black-and-white images document the “dangerous cultural decline” that Berlusconi’s media monopoly fostered. De Luigi argues: “The main idea behind Berlusconi’s programmes was: ‘Enjoy yourself, don’t think too much, leave the serious matters to me.’ It was a simplification, but that was the message. He used the media to make people passive.”

His new photography book “TELEVISIVA”, which is set to debut at Paris Photo in November under the publisher L’Artiere, presents this collection of images.

Euronews Culture sat down with De Luigi to discuss his inspiration behind the project, his reflections on Italy’s media-political landscape, and the parallels between that period and the current state of media and politics.

Euronews Culture: What’s the idea behind this project and why is now the time to release it?

Stefano De Luigi: The big story was how one man (Silvio Berlusconi), who controlled much of the media in Italy, became prime minister. He made a leap from the economic world to the political one. This signified a dramatic shift in one of the most important Western countries. It was the first time something like this had happened.

I saw Italy as both an anthropological and sociological lab for the rest of the Western world. That’s why I felt it was important to give this work time – so that it could be understood by people, not just in Italy, but globally. After 30 years, I decided to create this book.

Did you realise the importance of documenting this phenomenon at the time, or is that something that’s become clearer with time?

Well, first of all, the work covers the period from 1994 to 2008. Why 2008? Because that’s when Berlusconi left power. Secondly, when I started this work, I wasn’t living in Italy – I was in France. That gave me the chance to see Italy from a distance, which Italians living in the country couldn’t do. Sometimes, when you’re fully immersed in a reality, you can’t see what’s right in front of you.

From the beginning, I felt it was urgent to document what was happening. I chose television because I wanted to explain to outsiders how it was possible for a media tycoon to seize political power in a major country like Italy.

How did you actually gain access to this world of television and go behind the scenes with Italian stars?

At the time, television wasn’t such a closed-off environment. What made access easier for me was that I was working for a foreign magazine. The TV channels were somehow flattered that an Italian photographer, working for a French publication, was interested in their programmes.

You’ve mentioned a cultural decline in Italian television and that the shows at the time promoted shallow values. What do you mean by that?

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There are two main things. First, the culture of “if you don’t think like me, you’re my enemy.” There was no room for discussion or critical thought, which is essential in a democracy.

Secondly, the way women were portrayed on these programmes – it was reductive and objectifying. Their image was reduced, and I’m sorry to say, it’s very brutal, but they were treated like “pieces of meat.” This was part of a populist movement that aimed to limit women’s rights.

So in short, you believe Berlusconi, as a media tycoon, used television as a tool to get into politics, going against the core of democracy?

Yes, exactly. The main idea behind Berlusconi’s programmes was: “Enjoy yourself, don’t think too much, leave the serious matters to me.” It was a simplification, but that was the message. He used the media to make people passive.

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Were there any specific TV shows that were particularly emblematic of this change in Italian television?

There were several programmes, all sending out the same messages on different channels. At that time, Italian television had six major channels: three private ones controlled by Berlusconi and three public channels, which later also fell under his party’s influence. This created a culture across all six main channels. Even small, local TV stations tried to copy the successful national formats.

It was like a wave – everywhere you looked, these programmes promoted a culture of superficiality. Some participants in these shows even went on to build political careers. For example, one person from the first edition of Big Brother became a spokesperson for the government. Matteo Renzi, Matteo Salvini, and others participated in these shows before entering politics.

Let’s talk about the aesthetic and technical aspects of the project. What were you aiming to capture through your photos?

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First of all, I used black and white because the programmes were broadcast in very saturated colours – vulgar, in a way. I wanted to create a separation, to allow viewers to see things differently. By freezing key moments, I aimed to highlight the more emblematic and significant points of what I witnessed.

I exaggerated the contrast with very dark blacks and explosive whites to convey the feeling I had on set. It was a violent environment in many ways – more so than my work in the pornography industry, even. What I saw on television sets was extreme, bordering on something almost pornographic in its nature.

Was it important for you to capture candid moments, or did you stage any of your subjects?

It’s difficult to stage anything when you’re working in a television environment. I was always looking for moments that revealed the truth of what I was witnessing – the role of women, the manipulation of the public, and the obsession with fame. There was no room for dialogue or nuance.

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Everything was black and white, us versus them. It reflected a culture of intolerance that I felt was a regression for society.

Do you think television’s influence has diminished in modern society because of social media?

Yes, definitely. Today, the role that television once played has been taken over by social media. Politicians now have their own communication teams and spin doctors. Just think of people like Meloni, Salvini, or Trump. Social media is now the primary platform for shaping public opinion.

What do you hope readers take away from this project? And what role do you see your work playing in that kind of debate?

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You know, it’s always a tricky question. Can one picture change the world? No, definitely not. But if I can add a small piece to people’s consciousness through my work, that’s enough. I don’t do this for me; I do it to communicate something to as many people as possible. That’s the essence of my work as a documentary photographer.

If I can touch the conscience of even one person, to me, that’s a success. So, what I hope is that some people, when they see the pictures, read the book, and engage with the text, they will become more aware – especially if they’re Italian and lived through this era.

I want them to reflect on what Italy was like at the time, and perhaps gain some insight into the dangers of manipulation, which we all encounter daily in our lives. It’s about raising consciousness; it’s about culture.

“TELEVISIVA” is set to debut at Paris Photo under the publisher L’Artiere.

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