Enrico Mentana removed from Canale 5 news

The director and anchor of the main news programme at Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset TV empire has been forced to step down, prompting fears of growing political pressure.

On Thursday night, in a thoughtful and measured speech, Enrico Mentana announced at the end of the 8 p.m. news on Mediaset's Channel 5 that he was being replaced.

"The Mediaset board called me in to tell me they want to change directors at the news programme. As a company, it is their right, although it obviously makes me unhappy," he said.

Channel 5 has made a name for itself as one of the most independent news voices in a media industry dominated by Mr Berlusconi, who influences some 90 per cent of free TV channels through business interests or political office.

"It's bad news for the Italian media, which was already in a sorry state," the left-leaning la Repubblica said in a front-page editorial yesterday. "Enrico Mentana wasn't servile enough for the bosses." An oft-cited example of Channel 5's independence was its decision to air one of Mr Berlusconi's most notorious gaffes.

The network ran full footage of Mr Berlusconi comparing a European parliamentarian from Germany to a Nazi concentration camp guard, but at state-owned rival RAI the anchor voiced over the incident.

Mr Mentana, who has been given the new title of "editorial director" at Mediaset, is being replaced by Carlo Rossella, director of the pro-Berlusconi magazine Panorama which is owned by the Berlusconi family's publishing group.

Mr Mentana is also giving up his anchor role. "The news room is worried that this choice could put the independence of our programme at risk," Channel 5 journalists said in a joint statement.

Mediaset, with three channels, is the main rival of RAI, which also has three channels.

But while critics say RAI has become more pro-government during Mr Berlusconi's three years in power, Channel 5 has maintained independence from its owner, the prime minister.