PBS swaps Monday night drama for chat show at eleventh hour

The television programme Bondiplus is again in the mire of controversy after PBS decided to swap its slot at the eleventh hour, just days after launching its official winter schedule.

Originally scheduled to kickstart this Tuesday at 8.30 p.m. on TVM, Bondiplus, produced by Where's Everybody, has been swapped to Monday at 8.40 p.m., replacing the drama Tghanniqa, a 26th Frame production.

Recently, Bondiplus was under the spotlight after the state broadcaster's editorial board failed to shortlist the programme, but the board of directors chose to ignore this counsel and included it in TVM's official winter schedule.

Asked outright if he had requested the slots to be swapped, Where's Everybody director Lou Bondì said he had discussed the matter with PBS, "but the decision was theirs, obviously".

On the other side of the fence, Alessandro Farrugia, director of 26th Frame, was flabbergasted by a decision he says has thrown their carefully-laid plans out of sync.

"We're shocked. We have spent tens of thousands of liri on this project. Apart from this, we have promoted and advertised the fact that our drama is aired on Monday evenings," he protested.

Mr Farrugia said the company was given no explanation for this sudden move and it was crystal clear they were not being given a choice in the matter.

The company is now facing a situation where the drama's main actor is threatening to pull out.

"We cannot believe this is happening just days before our programme was set to air. We're still trying to negotiate with PBS and considering all options," he added.

Negotiations for the drama were finalised at the end of July. The company signed a one-sided contract, which didn't bind PBS, that said the programme would have a slot on a Monday or Tuesday evening.

However, by mid-August, 26th Frame received a confirmation from PBS that secured the Monday slot.

Contacted for an explanation, PBS chief executive Albert Debono said there was no issue and he "absolutely" had no comment to make.

Asked why the decision was taken so late in the day, when the official schedule had already been launched, Mr Debono insisted it was "the prerogative of the station to change the days" of the station's content.

Pushed to explain whether this "prerogative" had been applied in the past, Mr Debono said "maybe it has happened in other time bands... maybe not in prime time".

Meanwhile, Mr Bondì is happy that his programme has been swapped from its traditional Tuesday slot to Monday, because he felt it was a much better viewing night for television.

"People tend to stay home more (on Mondays). Furthermore, in an election year, it is more likely that weekends will be politically eventful. This will give Bondiplus the possibility to deal with issues as they come out of the political oven, while they are hot," he said.

"The only thing I am not looking forward to is having every Sunday, from now till the end of June next year, being more or less a working day," he added.

Asked for his views about the fact that this change was introduced so late in the day, Mr Bondì said that every station tried to position "its top programmes" to achieve its goals and attract audiences.

"One TV and Net TV do it all the time. Why should PBS be denied this prerogative? In addition, as anyone acquainted with television knows, schedules are always flexible, even after they go on air."