An observation

While in Malta on a visit, I have been following with great interest all the local political debates on TVM.

I would like to make an observation that has to do with etiquette rather than with politics.

During the Bondì+ transmission of April 1, Saviour Balzan, editor of Malta Today, deplored the fact that during press conferences, Alfred Sant, leader of the Malta Labour Party, would not even look at the journalist who is asking a question but turns, instead, his gaze straight at the television camera.

Actually, that is exactly the right way to do it. As both, Ray Bugeja, editor of The Times, and Mr Balzan themselves admitted during the programme, when taking part in press conferences they feel they should put the type of questions that most interest the public. They act, in fact, as the go-between, with the public on one side and the person being interviewed on the other.

As a result, when the public is made up of the television audience, the person being questioned should face the camera and not the interviewer, who is merely rendering a service for the viewers', and not his own, benefit.