More trouble brewing over TVM schedule

The controversy surrounding TVM's winter schedule - which sparked a clash between the station's board of directors and editorial board three months ago - is set to continue after the editorial board last week turned down the finalised programme schedule and sent it back to the directors.

Public Broadcasting Services editorial board chairman John Camilleri said when contacted yesterday that the board had received an incomplete schedule which it returned to the directors at the end of last week.

There are a number of reasons why the schedule was returned. Mr Camilleri said programmes that were supposed to form part of the schedule were not included, while programmes not on the shortlist were included.

The schedule included programmes that had not even been put before the editorial board, he said.

In spite of the controversy, preliminary agreements are already being signed between Public Broadcasting Services and producers whose programmes were selected for the schedule.

However, Mr Camilleri said yesterday he had not seen these agreements.

PBS chairman Joe Fenech Conti said he would reply today to questions from The Times.

Three months ago, the editorial board and the board of directors of PBS clashed after the latter effectively ignored the former's shortlist of winter programmes.

Last week The Times was informed by Mr Fenech Conti that with some minor exceptions, most of TVM's proposed winter schedule had been finalised by the board of directors and was due to be sent to the editorial board as well as to the Broadcasting Authority and the relevant ministries for information and vetting.

Among the selected programmes were Dejjem Tieghek Becky and Big Brother, their producers had said. However, another leading show, Tista Tkun Int, will be not be aired by PBS, according to its producer.

The political parties have also entered the fray over the controversy, with the Labour Party alleging lack of transparency in the selection process and the Investments Ministry accusing it in turn of wanting to turn back the clock to the time when the government controlled the state broadcaster.

The ministry argues that the process of evaluation and commercial decision-making is separate from content evaluation, which is the domain of the editorial board.