TV Paceville debate left unfinished

Paceville entrepreneurs yesterday reacted angrily to what they claim was an unnecessarily negative portrayal of the popular nightspot on last Friday night`s Xarabank, a claim strongly refuted by Xarabank host Peppi Azzopardi.

Only a quarter of the programme, which enjoys wide viewership weekly, was aired on Friday - it was taken off the air due to circumstances beyond Xarabank producers` control.

The discussion on Paceville will continue next Friday, Mr Azzopardi said.

Philip Fenech, president of the GRTU`s Hospitality and Leisure Division, told The Sunday Times yesterday he had been inundated with calls from investors in the area, including owners of restaurants, take-aways, bars, coffee shops, night clubs, discos and other places of entertainment, who complained that the TV programme`s producers decided to portray the area from a negative angle only.

"I criticise the type of journalism employed by Xarabank`s producers," Mr Fenech said. "By tackling just the negative aspect, they did not project what is really happening in Paceville.

"Paceville is a centre for leisure and relaxation patronised by locals and tourists of various age groups. The programme gave ample space to juvenile delinquency. It did not strike a balance and show how thousands of people enjoy themselves throughout the year without resorting to some form of criminal behaviour. These are the absolute majority of the people who visit the area."

Reacting to Mr Fenech`s sentiments, Mr Azzopardi expressed his disappointment at the Paceville entrepreneurs` view of Friday`s programme.

"It is absolutely not true that the programme portrayed Paceville only negatively. Fr Hilary Tagliaferro was on the discussion panel and I mentioned the good work he carries out at the Millennium Chapel.

"Several young people were sitting on the panel and in the audience, and defended Paceville and their right to enjoy themselves there," Mr Azzopardi said.

He explained that the programme decided to carry out an experiment which saw a 13-year-old girl who looked her age (although her face was blurred in the footage aired) venture into bars to buy an alcoholic drink.

Six Paceville venues admitted the girl onto the premises and served her. A seventh, Havana, asked her for identification and did not admit her. Mr Azzopardi said the venues which had let the girl in and served her were not mentioned by name.

"This is scandalous. In other countries all hell would break loose if under age teenagers were shown on TV being served alcohol. But we do not seem to make such a fuss here in Malta.

"I believe - and I have said this openly - that Paceville should operate 24 hours a day with proper soundproofing in venues so residents are not disturbed. But I strongly believe that the law forbidding under age people from being served alcohol should be abided by. It is clearly being infringed and Xarabank clearly demonstrated that," Mr Azzopardi stressed.

Mr Fenech said he had been invited to sit on the Xarabank panel to represent the GRTU. The producers also asked him to extend the invitation to other Paceville entrepreneurs. But Mr Fenech said Friday was difficult.

"Friday night is a key night in the leisure industry and nobody was prepared to leave their business at the weekend, especially during this period when weekend business has to make up for quiet week nights," he explained.

When programmes are aired at night Mr Fenech said he always offers his comments live on air over the phone from his nightclub. But the offer was not taken up by Xarabank.

Nonetheless, Mr Fenech said, despite his or other representatives of Paceville businesses` absence from the programme, he expected the producers to give a fair view from all angles, portraying the good and bad equally.

In turn Mr Azzopardi said he appreciated that Friday night was awkward for nightclub and bar owners to attend the show. However, he pointed out, Mr Fenech had appeared on previous editions of Xarabank and nightclub owners had also joined the panel on other occasions.

"This time some DJs confirmed their participation in last Friday`s programme and cancelled at the last minute. One was even supposed to sit on the panel," Mr Azzopardi remarked.

Asked if the programme was sabotaged last Friday, Mr Azzopardi said: "I do not know. Whatever it was, it did not work. Instead of one programme on Paceville, we will now have a programme and a quarter. There are still 10 items of film footage to air from last Friday`s programme."