PBS has expressed anger and astonishment over an 'opinion' by the Broadcasting Authority which said yesterday that the PL was right to insist that it should be the one to nominate its representatives for PBS programmes.
PBS had argued that it should have control over who to invite for its own programmes.
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The ruling was requested by Public Broadcasting Services after the Labour Party wanted to send MP Karmenu Vella instead of MP Charles Mangion on last night’s Bondì+ programme.
PBS had insisted on its right to choose its own programme participants, arguing that this was the practice followed in all other democratic countries.
PBS chairman Joe Mizzi said that the Broadcasting Authority’s decision ran counter to its own indications over the summer months.
“We met with the Broadcasting Authority informally over the summer to discuss the issue and its chairman, Anthony Tabone, showed no objection to our policy back then.
“We’re astonished and downright angry at this decision because we’re doing our utmost to provide serious and balanced discussion to our viewers,” Mr Mizzi said.
“I challenge anyone to mention a democratic country where a party dictates whom to send to a television programme.”
PBS also said that, last year, the PL sent election candidates instead of its MPs for discussion programmes, leading to criticism that more Nationalist MPs had appeared on television than Labour ones.
However, PBS said it would follow the Broadcasting Authority’s guidance on the matter.
The PL expressed satisfaction at the ruling, saying that it vindicated its stand to object to the PBS policy and confirmed that the station’s existing administration lacked credibility in guaranteeing impartiality.
“Just as PBS has a right to give directives to its own producers, the Labour Party has a right to choose the representatives that speak on its behalf on current affairs programmes,” a party spokesman said.
“One cannot understand why a practice that worked well up till now should be abandoned at this delicate moment before an election and replaced with a policy that pleases only those who run PBS and GonziPN,” the PL said.