Broadcasting Authority chairman Joseph Scicluna has called on the new administration to address the issue of unsatisfactory public service broadcasting through a review of the broadcasting policy, if necessary.

Presenting the authority's annual report for 2007, tabled in Parliament yesterday, Mr Scicluna noted that after the resignation of the chairman of the PBS editorial board last August, the advice of the other members of the board was, on several occasions, not accepted by the management of the company, even when this referred to purely editorial issues.

"At least on one occasion, a decision by the former registered editor of the station to grant a right of reply to an aggrieved party in terms of the Press Act was overruled by management," he said.

Mr Scicluna pointed out that this situation could not be acceptable to the authority, and said that in a situation where the editorial functions of the public service broadcaster were not working in a totally satisfactory manner, the impartiality requirements imposed on the BA by the Constitution could not be satisfied in the fullest manner.

"It is hoped that the incoming administration will address this issue, if necessary with a review of the broadcasting policy issued in 2004," he said.

Mr Scicluna said the authority intended to review the existing Broadcasting Code for the Correct Use of the Maltese Language on the Broadcasting Media, which was published in 2002 but did not produce the desired effect.

The authority wanted to take this initiative in conjunction with the National Council for the Maltese language.

The report noted that a total of 73 infringements were found by the authority last year - 25 by TVM, 17 by One TV, 12 by Net TV, eight by Smash TV, four by Calypso, three by iTV and two each by Melita Cable and Super One Radio.