Biagi, veteran Italian journalist, dies

By Jo Winterbottom

MILAN (Reuters) - Enzo Biagi, the veteran Italian journalist who publicly clashed with Silvio Berlusconi ahead of his election as prime minister in 2002, has died at the age of 87, a source at the clinic where he was staying said on Tuesday.

Biagi, born near Bologna in 1920, was one of Italy's best-known commentators and a stalwart of public broadcaster Rai for over 40 years.

He angered Berlusconi in 2002 when he allowed comic Roberto Benigni to make fun of the centre-right leader on his show, Il Fatto (The Fact), likening campaign material from the owner of rival broadcaster Mediaset to a comedy film.

Berlusconi said Biagi had used Rai "criminally" for the benefit of the left -- which he defeated in the election -- and vowed his administration would put a stop to it. Biagi in turn called for Rai's freedom to be respected.

"I have been working here since 1961 and this is the first time the Prime Minister has set the programming," Biagi said.

The row festered for months until Biagi left the broadcaster in September, 2002.

He wrote a book about the feud, "What you must not say" (Quello che non si doveva dire), which was published in 2006.

When news spread that Biagi was in critical condition on Friday evening, Berlusconi said he was "very sorry" and wished him well.