One particular Criminal Minds episode is called 'The Internet is Forever'. The Behavioral (sic) Analysis Unit (BAU) profiles a serial killer whose idea of 'social networking' is to trawl the internet to find his next victim.

The blurb goes, in part, as follows: 'These websites are like e-mail on crack... People share their entire lives on the web... he finds his victims and then takes them... the killer will share their deaths... with the world...'

It has become rather fashionable for people to lift chunks off other people's social sites pages and send them to others who do not have access to them. This is done for several reasons - to deride them (for their use of English), to pass on information, innuendo, rumours, or gossip, to prove a point, or just for the recipient to know he is being mentioned, be it in a good or bad light.

There is another, equally important, reason why this is done. Since I sign my name to this column I am able to call people, introduce myself, and ask questions. Those who use a pseudonym cannot, lest they be recognised - so they have to reply via third parties, or translate, or paraphrase from other sources.

This week my mailboxes were inundated with mail purporting to give me 'exclusives'. Since I can (and do) double-check every single bit of information, I also discovered that some of the excerpts were doctored, and that some of them were absolute lies.

Let us, for example, take the first 'hot' bit of information that Michael Vella Haber had (1) been on a cruise and (2) hied off to Canada. This is an absolute lie, because Gozitan friends of mine who commute every day encountered him on the ferries at least up to the day this column was submitted (Thursday morning). And several people saw him with his wife and one of his daughters at Notte Gozitana. Unless the man is gifted with bi-location, or the ability to time-travel, he cannot possibly flit so swiftly to and from Canada.

However, the rumour about Red Touch phone turned out to be true. The original idea behind the name came about because the campaign was 'black with a touch of red'. The Facebook page of the product and its system are an indeterminate splatter of pink and yellow.

Although I received it from five people I had to check the third 'cutting' for myself, since I found it incredible. It's a good thing I did, because the people involved realised the anomalies within their statements, and removed them.

To cut a long story short, someone from One Productions was basking in undeserved praise received from other people, with regard to the Broadcasting Authority survey results. However, the job descriptions of the people singled out for eulogies did not comprise the achievements with which they were credited.

And this leads to the $1,000,000 question - did Vella Haber choose to go out on long leave specifically because there was too much interference from certain quarters?

• Another local media-related issue of late has been the sale of XFM Radio Station.

A press release was issued jointly between Grima Communications Ltd and Valentina Communications Ltd, as follows: "Grima Communications Ltd has ceased its operation of XFM radio. The directors of Grima Communications Ltd have reached an agreement with the directors of Valentina Communications Ltd, Gabriella Borg Bonaci and Alvin Cacciattolo, to transfer the licence of XFM. The new directors have confirmed that the radio's name, style and format will remain the same. Grima Communications Ltd wishes the best of luck to the new operators of XFM 100.2."

This sale has been a long time coming. Indeed, this had led to a lot of speculation - most of it erroneous.

When asked about what had been holding back the sale, causing columnists to shoot first and ask questions later, Mark Grima told me: "About a year ago we had a serious offer from the late Justin Chircop, which did not go through, partly because at that juncture we were not interested in selling.

"His move, however, prompted others; some serious, some definitely not. Nothing came of them, either. Towards the end of last year I got a call from Sandro Chetcuti, who, after looking for other investors, eventually roped in ex-minister Michael Falzon, and developer Alfred Grech. Then, circumstances obtained that led to the present situation."

The station manager is David Azzopardi. The directors have decided to leave XFM in its current format, and the music will remain mostly as is usually played, save perhaps for a slight increase in 1990s hits, since there appears to be a dearth of them on the airwaves. The station slogan will be: XFM 100.2... your music now!

• Media Desk Malta informs us that Lobodocs, a London-based production company, is looking for Maltese co-producers. It is currently developing a multimedia documentary project with a TV component called One Europe.

This tackles positive examples of integration of ethnic minorities in Europe. For further information e-mail Alejandra de Leiva on alejandra.leiva@lobodocs.com or watch the demo reel at www.lobodocs.com/demo.html.

• Terrorists and outlaws convene at Cannes via celluloid; singers and their entourages assemble in Oslo... but sadly, those involved in local arbitration or other legal wrangles have to be content with traipsing to and from the law courts and other august buildings.

television@timesofmalta.com