The Broadcasting Authority explains its directive

The Broadcasting Authority has taken cognisance of a letter which it received from Andrew Psaila, chief executive officer of PBS Ltd, dated March 26, requesting the Authority to revise its directive in connection with the programme Xarabank due to have been broadcast yesterday and another due to be broadcast on April 4.

The Authority does not agree with PBS Ltd that there is any valid reason why it should modify its directive whereby the Authority had directed PBS Ltd not to broadcast the said two programmes dealing with the electoral manifesto of the three political parties in the absence of the Malta Labour Party.

The Authority's directive, contrary to what was alleged by PBS Ltd, was issued not only to guarantee freedom of expression of all the political parties involved in the electoral debate, but also to ensure that such freedom is manifested in an impartial manner, in full fairness, and by guaranteeing a level playing field to all political parties while, at the same time, respecting the law and the Constitution.

The Authority notes that PBS Ltd is also obliged to fulfil such duty, prior to any other consideration which the company might have and prior to any defence which it could plead insofar as its interests or those of third parties are concerned.

The Authority, being fully aware of its duty not to distract the electorate's attention in this delicate and decisive period for Malta, is of the opinion that it should not to date get involved in any controversy concerning unfounded allegations levelled against it by PBS Ltd. The Authority is adopting such a stance in order to avert the risk of distracting the electorate's attention from a serious and balanced discussion regarding the electoral programmes being proposed by the three political parties. Such discussion is currently already taking place in the scheme of election broadcasts organised by the Broadcasting Authority and in other programmes broadcast on the local media.

The Authority, at this juncture, is restricting itself to note that, unfortunately, PBS Ltd, the broadcasting station with which the Authority has a direct relation in the sphere of public broadcasting, does not itself appear to be capable or willing to organise debates involving the participation of all three political parties, and including the participation of the public, as to the parties' electoral programmes in an environment which is acceptable to all political parties. This is a pity.

As is also a pity the fact that it does not appear that PBS Ltd, as the public broadcasting station which is above partisan politics, did not consider to date that it should, in a pro-active and timely manner, act in such a way to ensure that such a problematic situation for freedom of expression in Malta - irrespective of whoever's fault it is - is corrected and remedied. Indeed, the Authority is not aware that there is any boycott insofar as PBS Ltd is concerned.

The Authority forcefully rebuts the unjust insinuation levelled in its regard by PBS Ltd that it succumbs to any pressure exerted by anybody. Such insinuation applies only to whoever levels it and is being ignored by the authority with the corresponding contempt which it deserves. The Authority has a function to carry out, is carrying it out and will continue to do so.

The Authority is of the view that the debate on this issue as well as all its correlative implications should be postponed to a future date. In the interests of transparency, the public is however being informed of the content of all the motions considered and decided by the Authority during last Saturday's meeting by means of a press release which I issued (on Thursday) so that the public may arrive thereupon at his or her judgment.

The Authority has thus reaffirmed its previous decision taken last Saturday and has directed PBS Ltd in terms of Article 15 of the Broadcasting Act to read the entire contents of its reply of today during the 8 o'clock TVM news bulletin.