Thou shalt be impartial, TVM presenters told

Journalists and presenters of current affairs programmes aired on TVM will not be allowed to express public support towards any political party even if off-air, according to new guidelines.

Divergent points of view are to be dealt with even-handedly

“It is... important that those associated with news and current affairs do not engage in off-air activities that can lead to any doubt about their objectivity on-air and to what is transmitted,” according to the guidelines that come into force on June 1.

The document, entitled Guidelines on the Obligation of Due Impartiality, was launched yesterday.

PBS head of news Natalino Fenech said the company always had guidelines but it decided to make them public and more restrictive to ensure the station’s stand on impartiality was clear to all.

The public broadcaster’s impartiality came under fire a few months ago when the Labour Party accused TV personalities Lou Bondì and Peppi Azzopardi of flagrantly breaching broadcasting laws on the issue.

The two men, who run the production company Where’s Everybody?, are permanent fixtures on TVM where they present popular programmes Bondiplus and Xarabank.

The party had referred to an incident when Mr Azzopardi confirmed having coached Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando before his appearance at a crucial and controversial TV debate before the 2008 election. Mr Bondì had launched a short-lived blog in which he wrote about political issues and criticised the PL.

More recently, Nationalist Party Lija councillor Jeremy Dalli, who coordinates several programmes aired on TVM, resigned from his post on the local council after the situation was flagged by Sunday newspaper Illum.

According to the guidelines, news presenters, producers, journalists and presenters of news and current affairs programmes “are not to undertake promotions or endorsements of political parties or individual candidatures or political organisations as well as endorse commercial products.

“Furthermore, they ought not to regularly write or participate in public debates on issues of: current affairs or politics, economics, business or finance, matters of public policy, political or industrial controversy.”

“External activities include letters to the editor, articles published in newspapers, online blogging, posting of remarks or opinions online, participating in public debates, fronting a campaign and similar activities whether made online or not.”

The new PBS guidelines say that impartiality must be ensured by, for example, selecting topics for discussion without political pressure and presenting content objectively.

Impartiality does not mean equal time provided to each party but must allow for a balanced presentation of divergent news.

“Journalists, presenters and producers are not expected to be neutral on every controversial issue but care is to be taken that they do not favour one opinion as opposed to another in such a manner that gives advantage to that opinion, or that invites the viewers or listeners to adhere to that opinion. Divergent points of view are to be dealt with even-handedly,” the guidelines say.

Presenters who have a strong opinion on a topic that is going to be discussed should consult with the editor for guidance about whether they should declare their position during the programme.

Anyone who holds a role that could impact impartiality has to refer the matter to the editor.

“In this case, the person’s role in programmes broadcast on PBS may be changed, adapted or stopped so as to ensure that impartiality is retained,” PBS said.