Call for ‘impartial’ broadcasting on state TV
The Labour Party has written to the chairmen of the Broadcasting Authority and Public Broadcasting Service, demanding balance and impartiality from the tax-funded state public broadcaster.
Labour spokesman for the media Gino Cauchi claimed the state broadcaster broke the law on several occasions. Quoting answers to parliamentary questions, he said it emerged that over the three years between 2008 and 2010, for example, the Prime Minister was featured in the news 490 times while the opposition leader appeared 265 times.
He said these and other figures showed the “premeditated and subtle imbalance” Labour had suffered.
But in reaction, PBS said the statistics quoted showed the opposite of what Labour was claiming. As was stated in the answers to the parliamentary questions, the TVM news included newsworthy stories and those who appeared in them did so because they were somehow involved.
PBS also insisted that in the last four years, in which more than 1,500 news bulletins featured, TVM was never found guilty of political imbalance against Labour.
But Mr Cauchi said: “It is clear that from now to the elections, there is a plan for the state broadcaster to be used as a means of propaganda in the hands of the Nationalist Party.”
He called on the BA to be proactive and not wait for a complaint to take action.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Second group of migrants arrives
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
9 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
R. Gauci
Oct 2nd 2011, 12:11
Ghall-apologisti tal-PN nahseb insejtu li l-PL iggverna mill-1987 l'hawn u kienu s-snin li l-prodott televiziv Malti beda jimxi l-quddiem bis-sahha ta` nies bhal Bertu Marshall, fl-1997 tfaccaw Xarabank, Bongu SInjura Borg, Ipokriti u aktar. U jekk tinnotaw min imexxi dawn il-programmi tindunaw li nies bhal Peppi Azzopardi u Peter Busuttil zgur wiehed ma jistghax isejhilhom Laburisti, wisq aktar tal-qalba. tal-PN tant inthom iggammjati fuq l-80s li insejtu r-realta' ta` pajjizna, anke dik ricenti, qed tghixu go bozza, kissruha u ohorgu, ghixu illum!!!
Philip Hili
Oct 1st 2011, 00:47
Tafu min qieghed jitkellem ghal xandir imparzjali? "Newscaster" ta' zmien ir-regim.
Dak iz-zmien spicca issa Gino.
R. Gauci
Oct 2nd 2011, 02:33
Lippu, ahna se nharsu l-quddiem jew se niggustifikaw il-pastazati tal-lum b'dak li gara 30 sena ilu? Illum ovvja li l-BA u l-PBS se jhokku dahar xulxin, mhux kollha mill-istess klikka immexxijin? Wisq probabli bidla fil-Gvern se tkun fisser rizenja ghal hafna minnhom u telfien ta` bagatella liri f'salarji u beneficcji ohra, minn kollox se jaghmlu biex il-PN jibqa fil-Gvern, bla rispetti lejn hadd. Ghalhekk TVM u NET qieshom immexxijin mill-istess kumpanijja, issa anke jpartu n-nies u l-programmi spiccaw, tifixkel fuq liema channel ikun it-TV jekk ma jkun hemm il-logo.
Philip Hili
Oct 12th 2011, 23:46
@ R. Gauci
KIF TITWERWER META XI HADD ISSEMMILEK IL-PASSAT MOQZIEZ TA' GVERN LABORISTA!!!!
Mr John Said
Sep 30th 2011, 16:52
Talking about works going on, future plans, strategies being used, official openings of schools, factories and establishments, inauguration of big projects, investments over investments…… are all news worthy!
Negative and distructive criticism, people with no ideas or who say that they have better ideas but would not tell us what they are…… are not news worthy.
Maybe the PBS should prepare a clip of DR. Muscat telling us that what the government is doing is wrong, that he has got the solution, and will tell us more about it once he is the prime minister, and play it in between every news worthy footage.
Mr Pat Hobson
Sep 30th 2011, 13:44
Look who's talking. Let's see what happens in a few years time. Or have you forgotten the recent past when even the BA said that there was a clear imbalance against the PL!
Mr Angus Black
Sep 30th 2011, 13:11
Yes, the only 'fair balance' was only when the local TV station was prohibited from mentioning the Opposition leader by his name.
In all fairness, we should go back to those times. This would fall in line with Labour's 'new ethic media rules'.
Mr Jo Camm
Sep 30th 2011, 11:57
DOES Mr CAUCHI REMEMBER OF ANY IMPARTIALITY BEFORE MAY. 1987??
Mr G Mangion
Sep 30th 2011, 10:34
Il - Hazin , Hazin biss Jahseb..................!!