FMI unleashes battle of the airwaves

The Front Maltin Inqumu (FMI) yesterday accused the Broadcasting Authority of breaching the Constitution and in turn threatened to breach the authority's regulations by broadcasting at the first available opportunity.

The front said the authority violated the Constitution by denying it the right to broadcast its view.

The front said the authority was financed by the citizens' taxes and, therefore, the public had a right to be informed about all that was going on.

Referring to the run-up to the budget for 2005, the front said the media gave wide coverage to the views of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition but its voice was not being heard.

It insisted that the authority should have granted it a licence to broadcast, as requested in an open letter on August 4.

In reply to that letter, the authority had informed the front that if it wanted to broadcast it should file an application if and when a call was made.