IVA calls on BA to stop MLP information spots

The IVA movement yesterday called on the Broadcasting Authority to stop the broadcasting of the Malta Labour Party's information spots on the European Union on state television because they were not being produced in terms of the authority's own guidelines.

The movement also requested the authority to allow it to broadcast its vision of Malta on EU membership to redress the imbalance wrought by the MLP's negative vision.

The movement, represented by Dr Joanne Drake, Dr Austin Bencini, David Casa and Prof. Kenneth Wain, filed a judicial protest in the Civil Court against the authority over the authority's decision on June 6 to allow the MLP to broadcast information spots on the EU free of charge on the state television station.

The decision was confirmed by a Civil Court judgment in the case filed by PBS against the authority and by another judgment filed by the MLP against the authority.

But the movement claimed that the MLP's spots on PBS were not factual but were representing a vision of the future and were not being produced in terms of the authority's guidelines in violation of the June 6 decision.

On the other hand, the spots broadcast by the Malta-EU Information Centre on PBS were factual and represented the reality of the facts as to what one would achieve upon Malta joining the EU.

The movement declared that an imbalance in broadcasting on the national television station had been created on the subject of EU membership, and the movement was entitled to remedy this imbalance with a decision authorising the movement to broadcast its own spots, free of charge on PBS.

Thus, the movement would be able to restore balance in broadcasting on the matter of Malta's entry into the EU, as it would give an alternative vision of the future Malta could achieve upon membership.

The MLP's spots, said the movement, portrayed a negative vision of the future.

Dr Austin Bencini signed the protest.