PBS defends itself against MLP attack

Public Broadcasting Services, the state broadcaster deplored what it described as "the baseless attack" by Malta Labour Party general secretary Jason Micallef on the integrity of the PBS chairman and chief executive.

"The good results obtained by PBS would not have been possible had there not been persons with the necessary skills to manage it," PBS said.

Mr Micallef told a press conference on Monday the MLP was prepared to take legal action to safeguard the interests of TVM's viewers and ensure that PBS presented a balanced view of things.

The party was extremely worried about the way things were going at PBS and about the station's employees who, Mr Micallef claimed, were demoralised.

In a statement yesterday, PBS said it considered Mr Micallef's attack as an attempt by the owner of a competing station to divert the attention of the people and of the advertisers away from the positive results being achieved by PBS stations especially since the company was restructured in 2004.

PBS said the improvement in quality and a more varied choice of programmes as well as the increasing number of listeners and viewers were proof of the responsible management through which PBS is being run.

It added that the financial results achieved over the past two years meant that the company was no longer a financial burden on the country as it was now generating enough funds to cover its operations.