BA calls on PBS to produce more in-house current affairs programmes

Broadcasting Authority chairman Joseph Said Pullicino yesterday called on Public Broadcasting Services to produce more in-house current affairs programmes to ensure overall balance.

He said PBS could not abdicate its responsibility from producing its own current affairs programmes on the grounds that it did not have sufficient resources.

He said at a press conference that contrary to claims being made by certain individuals, the authority was not trying to give political parties additional power.

Nor was it trying to stop any programme in particular, but it needed to ensure there was a blend of programmes produced in-house and by private production houses.

What was important was that a balance was struck to reflect all opinions, he said, adding that PBS employees "cannot have a political opinion in their work".

Judge Said Pullicino said the BA would not get involved into whether or not the Labour Party's boycott on Where's Everybody? was justified, and he denied that the authority's call was being spurred because of the MLP's decision.

Where's Everybody? produces Xarabank and Bondi+.

He also denied that the BA was insisting that PBS should have its own current affairs programmes because the programmes produced by Where's Everybody? were seen as not being objective.

Judge Said Pullicino said it was true that a suggestion had been made at a BA board meeting about having representatives of the political parties producing current affairs programmes on PBS on an alternating basis, but said it was merely the opinion of one member.

"All I can say is that it wasn't me who made the suggestion, and no, I do not agree with it. It was only a comment - not a decision, nor a proposal," Judge Said Pullicino said.

When contacted, PBS chairman Austin Sammut said the BA's request would be discussed internally.