Updated: Adds reaction by Lou Bondi' -
The Broadcasting Authority has upheld a Labour party complaint that a BondiPlus analysis of the Budget, particularly a table showing how much the Opposition's suggested measures would have cost the country, did not reflect impartiality and professionalism.
The BA, however, rejected a party complaint that the programme was unfair because it started before party spokesman Charles Mangion had arrived. It noted that he had arrived 10 minutes late even though the start was delayed long enough to allow a 30-minute gap from the end of a press conference by the leader of the opposition.
Furthermore, the programme was longer than usual and Dr Mangion was constantly asked to present the Opposition's views.
The Authority said it had reservations about the features presented on the programme - broadcast on November 1 - particularly the calculations made by the presenter on the impact of measures which, in the presenter's view, had been proposed by the PL. While journalists had a right to make critical analyses, this should be done in a fair and professional manner. In its view, the BA said, the analysis presented in the programme lacked these requirements.
The BA said that while it could not be an arbiter on the issue, it could not understand how the presenter decided that a PL government would restore the power tariffs to what they were before the increases, when, it said, he knew what the PL was proposing.
Furthermore, the way how the presenter had calculated the impact of the PL-proposed measures on the deficit lacked professionalism.
PRESENTER'S REACTION
In a reaction, programme presenter Lou Bondi' said that in the one instance in which the BA ruled against the programme it was completely wrong.
"All that Bondiplus did was quote directly from declarations made that PL leader himself. How the BA construed this as “unprofessional” and “unjust” is beyond comprehension," he said.
"In the case of the PL’s position on the water and electricity rates, the issue is not as the BA portrayed it. The truth is that the PL has taken two radically different positions on the matter On the one hand, Joseph Muscat said on Bondiplus that for now he agrees with a reduction of the rates by 5%. On the other he had claimed that all the increase in the rates in 2008 was unjustified. In fact Dr Muscat had written the following: “The Partit Laburista is against the new tariff rates in the most categorical manner … In these circumstances the people will find us in the PL with them in order to guide them.” (Torca, 11/1/08 )"
Mr Bondi said that contrary to what the BA said, Bondiplus put across both positions and mentioned that they were millions of euros from each other.
Furthermore, it was clear to everyone who has the faintest idea of what is going on in this country that for the last two years, the PL had systematically put forward the second position and not the first.
"All we did was to cost this position."
"The worst part of this decision is that the BA, chaired by Joe Scicluna, entered the political fray. Essentially, it is saying that the Labour Party will not decrease the water and electricity rates to 2008 levels. This amounts to threading on very dangerous political and, I would add, constitutional grounds," Mr Bondi' said.