Sylvana Cristina has resigned from her post of news manager and registered editor with PBS Ltd. She will be taking up a post with the European Commission. The Times wishes her the best.
Her resignation means that two very important posts remain vacant at PBS Ltd - at least no public announcements have been made so far about any official successors, even if one would like to think that a temporary appointment has been made.
The posts of news manager and registered editor and that of chairman of the editorial board remain vacant at PBS. These posts came about as a result of the National Broadcasting Policy in 2004. Since then, the period of time they have been vacant for has been longer than the period of time they were occupied. This is, in itself, something to reflect on as it must have surely impacted negatively on the level of success the National Broadcasting Plan was planned to have. A number of such areas can be listed.
The reform separated, for the first time, the post of registered editor from the post of the station's CEO. The structural change proved not to be always in synchronisation with the cultural change that should have accompanied it. As a result, there were several instances where the decisions of the registered editor about particular items were overturned by the CEO and by the board of directors. This is, at best, an uncomfortable situation, if not outright unacceptable, once a registered editor is held personally responsible in the eyes of the law for whatever PBS carries.
It also proved to be difficult to reconcile the remit of the chairman of the editorial board for programme quality with the remit of the chairman of the board of directors for a black bottom line. Judging by what was publicly stated during a dispute between the two boards a few months ago, it seems that the financial aspect has, at least at times if not consistently, unfortunately prevailed over content, editorial and regulatory considerations. The public broadcaster has, on several occasions, been accused of broadcasting regulations infringements by the Malta Broadcasting Authority.
The above should not blind anybody to the positive elements of the National Broadcasting Policy. Suffice to mention one very important example: The role of the editorial board as the guarantor of the editorial independence of the news bulletins has proved successful. The outgoing registered editor herself has declared that there was never any outside interference with the content of the news bulletins. This is very good news especially in the run-up to a general election. May the situation remain unchanged both during the forthcoming electoral campaign and subsequently.
The National Broadcasting Policy, now in its fourth year, has reached the point when it would normally have been up for review. The controversies that dogged PBS over the last few months make such a review mandatory and urgent. Quite naturally, a pre-electoral period is not the time when such a review can be held with the serenity it demands.
Ideally, a suitable candidate should be found immediately to fill the post of registered editor and news manager. Past experience and cumbersome recruiting mechanisms make this quite unrealistic, at least for a few weeks. An ad hoc solution has, therefore, to be found, especially with an impending election. The powers that be should at least move fast to appoint the chairman of the editorial board. Whatever solution is found it should not be one that puts the clock backwards or prejudges a proper review of the policy in the near future, preferably immediately after the general election. Amalgamating the role of CEO with that of registered editor is an example of turning the clock backwards. Both journalists and executives know full well the two simply do not mix, unless to concoct a Molotov cocktail.
The baby should not be thrown away just because the bath water is dirty.