BA fines One TV for broadcasting Victor Scerri phone comments

The Broadcasting Authority has fined One TV €1,164 for transmitting a recorded telephone conversation with former PN president Victor Scerri without his permission.

Dr Scerri said the recordings were transmitted on January 25 after he was contacted by telephone by journalist Wendy Borg.

He said that he was never told that the phone call was being recorded, and in a previous phone call, just a few minutes before, he had told Ms Borg that she did not have his permission to record the conversation.

The BA said that there were ethical considerations which should have been respected by the broadcaster. The journalist had a duty to seek Dr Scerri's agreement for the recording and broadcasting of the conversation, and in the absence of such agreement, the comments should not have been broadcast.