Focus stacks

Gossip is a terrible thing - as well as being the devil's radio station. I have lost count of the times people ask me whether something is true because 'I would know'; and of course, I have developed a stock answer to that one.

People whose names appear in this column know that I confirm whatever I write with them, personally, rather than with their hangers-on (or even their detractors).

That is why I can confirm that despite all the chitchat, the fact remains that it was an unfortunate coincidence that Teletubi ended up being slapped with a fine by the Broadcasting Authority. Briefly, what happened was the programme went on air before its slotted time, and therefore, the unsuitable language in it was aired before, rather than after, the watershed hour, and the penalty ensued.

As yet, the Broadcasting Authority does not have the clout to fine all those who insult our intelligence by offering endless hours of teleshopping or close-ups of emotional people, when these were expressly forbidden, or silly political slants to news items, or gormless magazine programmes full of living-room type blather and banter.

I am not the only one who thinks that the fines system (whereby a programme can be fined for twice its potential revenue or a mere fraction of it) must be overhauled, and that all programmes must be monitored all the time.

Meanwhile, several British media are being censured for the coverage they gave to Mark Speight's suicide. It was a given that since he had been the very popular presenter of Smart, a children's BBC (Cbeebies) television programme, his viewers would have wanted to know why he was being mentioned in the news.

Death, especially suicide, is always a tricky subject to approach with children. In this case, the person at the centre of it all was a role model for children, which makes it all the more poignant.

However, I believe that since death is a part (and not the end) of life, there is no age when they must 'begin' to be taught about it. Most children would have known, anyway, that Mr Speight felt bad after his girlfriend Natasha Collins died in their flat; but I would not have indicated why (or even how) she died; some stations did this, re-opening wounds that would never have been able to seal themselves properly in the first place.

As has been happening after last Wednesday's death of 23-year-old model Elaine Caruana, children have been posting tributes on the Internet; yet for some reason, people have found this to be in bad taste.

I have had a similar discussion with parents who did not want their young children to know that a classmate had died; they suggested that it should have been said that she had gone on a long holiday. This attitude does not make sense; not only because it deprives them of the chance to grieve for a friend according to their age-related capabilities, but also because it will later reveal the parents to have lied about something so important.

One thing the BBC did do well was a reality show in which six youths were taken to sweatshops in India to see exactly under which conditions cheap High Street throwaway-fashion clothes are made, and to sew some of the garments themselves. The participants were auditioned before being selected - but this was no Big Brother where they got to hop in and out of one another's beds.

In actual fact, sometimes they had no beds at all, since a part of the stint included living in the same squalid conditions as the labourers, they sometimes had to sleep on the factory floor near the machines, to cut down on 'travel time'.

Be that as it may, everyone is entitled to an opinion - some, apparently, more than others. That is why I say that this week's excellent edition, as always, of Mill-Gżira ta' Kalypso, which spoke on markets for antiques (Radju Malta, Wednesday evenings) was somewhat ruined by the tinny background music.

It was a pleasant surprise to see that in the midst of endless re-runs of Qegħdin Sew and powerboat races, it was the Melita Cable Family Channel which broadcast, live, the re-enactment of the George Cross presentation ceremony on Palace Square, Valletta, last Tuesday.

And now for the good news:

The Zimbabwean court dismissed charges against Barry Bearak, the New York Times reporter in Zimbabwe, as well as those against an unnamed British national. Mr Bearak had first been arrested on a charge of covering the country's closely-watched elections without official recognition; later, when the police realised that the press law had been changed, he was re-charged with falsely presenting himself as a journalist. However, the magistrate judge ruled that the state failed to provide evidence for a crime.

Bilal Hussein, one of the Associated Press team that had won a Pulitzer Prize, was freed after two years' imprisonment. He had held without charge, upon suspicion that he had aided insurgents... something that has fast become an occupational hazard when one works in a war zone. Iraqi judges have now dropped all legal proceedings against him, and American military police handed over Hussein to AP colleagues at a checkpoint near Baghdad International Airport.

On the local front, plans (as well as the sewing of costumes!) are well under way for the annual show given by students of Ali and Liz, due to take place on June 29 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. Annalise will be taking care of the choreography - her dancers' ages range between three and 19. Alison will be in charge of the music and lyrics.

People who would appreciate getting €100 in travel vouchers for a tour to Slovenia, Croatia and Venice, in July, can try winning one by sending an SMS to the new programme on Net Television, Ippakkja u Itlaq, presented by John Busuttil and newcomer Lisa Mifsud.

television@timesofmalta.com