The European Parliament is to launch an inquiry into media freedom throughout the EU.
Initially, the Parliament's Committee of Citizens' Freedoms and Rights had wanted to report on media ownership and democracy in Italy only - where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi enjoys tight control over a media empire.
But they have been forced to broaden the inquiry to avoid singling out just one member state.
The study will be non-binding, but any condemnation would send a strong political message to the country concerned.
Earlier this week - on 20 October - the French-based pressure group Reporters Without Borders published its second report on press freedom around the world.
Finland came top of the league with North Korea bottom - at number 166. Italy came about a third of the way down the table, at position 53, below all other EU member states surveyed, and below most accession countries.

Source: ABC News Online.