ROME () -- Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government has accused the Italian media of double standards as it seeks to limit the damage from a hastily scrapped television advertising campaign.


A 45-second advertisement outlining the achievements of the media magnate's troubled administration was dropped Monday at the request of Italy's media ombudsman after the opposition slammed it as propaganda.


But the Cabinet undersecretary Gianni Letta complained the media had not objected to similar initiatives taken by previous governments.