[attach id=345708 size="medium"]Jason Micallef. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli[/attach]
The chairman of the Labour Party’s television station, Jason Micallef, yesterday accused PBS chief executive Anton Attard of “prostituting himself” to eliminate competition.
“One (TV) has the people’s support and these people have a right to know what is going on behind the scenes for its existence to be undermined by someone who is strangely still managing PBS. For now, I will stop here,” Mr Micallef wrote on Facebook, referring to Mr Attard’s past Nationalist Party links.
Contacted The Sunday Times of Malta, Mr Micallef said the PBS CEO was approaching One (TV) staff and producers and offering them everything under the sun to leave the station.
“This has been going on for a long time and now it has reached unacceptable levels. His aim is to eliminate One (TV) so PBS would no longer face any competition. This has to stop.”
He said he believed Mr Attard was acting unilaterally but exploiting the advantage given to him through State funding.
“The government has just passed on to him TVM2 – this station has an obligation to broadcast cultural, informative and educational programmes. What is happening instead is that TVM2 is being used as bait to commercial productions offering programme repeats and added value to advertisers.
How can I be responsible if TV producers want their shows on PBS?- CEO
“This is unfair competition. How can you work in this jungle?” he asked.
Mr Micallef said he was speaking up to defend its audience’s interests but Mr Attard denied his claims, saying: “I didn’t approach any programme currently aired on One TV to submit an application with PBS.”
He said programme selection is carried out under the National Broadcasting Policy. After a call for applications for the next programming schedule, a number of programmes currently aired on One (TV) submitted an application.
“I cannot understand how I can be held responsible if private TV producers applied and want their productions aired on PBS,” Mr Attard said.
In March last year, the One TV chief called for Mr Attard’s resignation after dubbing him “a Nationalist par excellence” on Facebook and insisting PBS be returned to the people.