Television has so far been spared the heat of the spring hunting referendum crossfire but not for long.

The Broadcasting Authority will shortly be deciding on the scheme of debates and publicity spots allocated to the rival camps, according to CEO Pierre Cassar.

“The BA board will be discussing the matter and deciding on the best way forward in the coming days,” he said, adding no meetings had been scheduled yet with the pro and anti-spring hunting lobby groups.

The BA will also have a parallel scheme for the local council elections that will be held in half of the localities on the same day as the referendum on April 11.

While insisting he could not provide details of the proposed referendum scheme as yet, Mr Cassar said it would be very similar to the divorce referendum campaign.

The BA board will be discussing the matter and deciding on the best way forward in the coming days

The BA schedule will run on the national broadcaster, TVM, and include debates with subjects alternately chosen by the opposing groups and short adverts that are scheduled at different times.

It has to be seen whether the political parties will decide to remain out of the debate on spring hunting. The major political parties had opted out of the BA schedule of debates and production spots during the divorce referendum campaign, Mr Cassar said.

The Labour and Nationalist parties have not taken a stand on the issue. The Prime Minister and the Opposition leader have declared their support for a Yes vote but called on their parties to take a step back. They adopted a similar position in allowing party members the freedom to vote according to conscience.

Alternattiva Demokratika, on the other hand, is aligned with the No camp and it will have to be seen whether they will request separate TV space.

The referendum campaign entered its second week but has until now been largely confined to the social media where arguments in favour and against have been exchanged on Facebook walls and through tweets.

kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com