The Italian media mogul and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has died aged 86.
Berlusconi served as PM for three terms (1994-5, 2001-6 and 2008-11) and his involvement in the media industry began in 1973, when he set up a cable TV company named TeleMilano.
Five years later he established Fininvest and subsequently a commercial TV empire.
Today, Fininvest is a holding company for one of the world’s largest communication groups that includes MFE – MediaFourEurope, formerly known as Mediaset.
In Italy, MFE operates three main channels: Canale 5, Italia 1 and Retequattro. Meanwhile in Spain the company controls Telecinco and Cuatro, and in Germany it is the main shareholder of the TV broadcaster ProsiebenSat1.
Berlusconi is believed to have been suffering from leukaemia.
