The Broadcasting Authority has dismissed a Nationalist Party complaint of unfair treatment towards party leader Bernard Grech during a TVM interview.
In the decision, published on Friday, the Authority said that journalists had the right to ask uncomfortable questions.
“As long as respect is held during the interview, the journalist must ask questions which are relevant to the current time, even more when that person being interviewed is a politician," the BA said.
Back in January, the PN complained to the Broadcasting Authority claiming “imbalance and lack of impartiality” in an interview with opposition leader Bernard Grech.
Grech was interviewed by Glen Falzon, a TVM journalist who presents the Friday night programme ‘Insights'.
The PN leader had accused Falzon of asking irrelevant and partisan questions during the interview, and said that the national broadcaster was used as a “partisan tool” in the hands of the Labour government.
The party had subsequently filed an official complaint with the Broadcasting Authority.
On March 11, Francis Zammit Dimech and Karol Aquilina were called to testify in front of the BA board. On the side of PBS was head of news Norma Saliba, editorial board chair Joe Sammut and lawyer Ishamael Psaila.
Zammit Dimech said that that the questions asked to Grech were different when compared to those which Falzon had asked Prime Minister Robert Abela in a previous ‘Insight’ programme.
He said that Falzon gave Abela a "free hand" and allowed him to discuss whatever he wished, while Grech was asked more loaded questions.
Aquilina argued that journalists with the national broadcaster had a duty to not be prejudiced when interviewing politicians. Falzon's tone and attitude differed in the two interviews, he argued.
The Broadcasting Authority said that in a programme like 'Insights', it may be difficult to have equal treatment, as ongoing developments could influence the course of a the debate.
“The authority understands that the journalist asked specific questions to people being interviewed, and therefore the subjects up for discussion must differ between the Opposition leader and the Prime Minister,” it concluded.
Journalists were there to provide a public service, it said.
“The independence of a journalist is essential to achieve impartiality as required by law.”