In 1993, all three the principal Italian television companies (RAI, Finivest and Telemontecarlo) have to face hard financial troubles and the consequences of the Mani Pulite typhoon that upset the political system.
Both the talk shows of Michele Santoro and Gad Lerner on RAI 3 and the Fininvest news programs (TG5 and TG4) play an important role in gaining the support of the public opinion on the enquiries.
However, Fininvest gives a wide space also to Vittorio Sgarbi, who, in his daily column, defends the politicians investigated and attacks the magistrates with unaudited verbal violence.
For Fininvest, 1993 is a difficult year, with the closure of La Cinq, a growing indebtment with the banks, the arrest for corruption of the manager Aldo Brancher and the perspective of a hostile government if the left wins the next elections.
The idea of a direct intervention of Silvio Berlusconi in politics, to save the company interests, begins to circulate.