Government willing to discuss professional status for journalists

The government is willing to discuss the granting of professional status to journalists on the same lines as other professions like lawyers, doctors and architects, according to the Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information Chris Said.

Dr Said made the announcement when he met a delegation from the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM) at his office in Castille, Valletta, on Wednesday.

"Finally, information, a sector which is so vital for the effective functioning of Malta as a modern European Union democracy, has not been left under the general umbrella of the Office of the Prime Minister but was assigned to a specific person," IĠM chairman Malcolm J. Naudi, who headed the delegation, said.

During the meeting, the delegation discussed with Dr Said issues that are of vital interest for the exercise of the journalistic profession, such as media requests for information from government departments and entities, the operations of the Department of Information, the issue of press cards and professional status for journalists, among other things.

The delegation stressed that the operations of government departments had to be in synch with the realities faced by the journalistic profession and be more media-friendly.

"Some departments are quite efficient in their responses to journalists' queries while others, such as the police are inconsistent in their response time," Mr Naudi said.

Dr Said revealed that the government was planning an overhaul of the DOI's mission and operations to make it more in tune with the new demands presented by the consolidation of online media as part of the local journalistic landscape.

He also indicated that the government was ready to discuss with journalists' organisations and other interested parties the manner in which press cards should be issued.

Mr Naudi pointed out that the IĠM already had a self-regulatory mechanism for enforcing journalistic ethics through its Code of Journalistic Ethics and the Press Ethics Commission. "This framework could be used for the establishment of a professional body for journalists as is the case in other EU countries like Italy and the United Kingdom," he said.

With regard to the Freedom of Information Act, which the IĠM, together with other journalist organisations on the island, has been lobbying for the past few years, Dr Said noted it will be among the first Bills to be tabled by the government in Parliament after the formal start of the new Legislature on May 10.

The IĠM delegation included secretary Joe A. Vella, treasurer Mario Schiavone, information secretary Charlot Zahra and education, continuous professional development and international affairs secretary Brandon Pisani.