Civil society group Repubblika spoke for many when it declared that Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) serves as a tool for the government to stifle critical voices.
The Centre for Media, Data and Society (CMDS), a research centre at the Democracy Institute at Central European University, has branded PBS as being state-controlled.
It has accused the government of “exerting undue influence at PBS”, says the government “indirectly controls the editorial policies of the station” and notes there is no domestic statute and no independent assessment and oversight mechanism to validate PBS’s editorial independence.
State broadcasting has traditionally tended to favour the government, a state of affairs that is convenient to the large political parties, and which leaves very little if any hope of improvement.
CMDS director Marius Dragomir, the author of a September 2021 report, had commented that “the future of the public media in Malta is bleak, yet not desperate”. Many will now say if not desperate, the situation is certainly scandalous.
Complaints about imbalance and lack of impartiality in PBS’s news bulletins and programmes have accumulated, with items blatantly written in a way to put the ruling Labour Party in a positive light as scandals abound.
It has again become a government notice board, a throwback to the sad Xandir Malta days.
Then, the leader of the opposition was not mentioned by name and, now, in ensuring Labour does not in any way look bad, PBS has no qualms even infamously censoring the pope’s comments about corruption.
It does not mind ignoring controversial issues that could somehow damage the party in power, which, lo and behold, suddenly appear high on the running-order sheet once an official statement is released.
The state broadcaster continues to shun debate over the biggest scandals this country has seen in a generation.
PBS, or elements within, can continue claiming there is no interference from the party in power and that it is self-financing.
The bottom line is that PBS is far from being “the most creative, inclusive, professional and trusted broadcaster in Malta”, as per its mission statement.
Apart from money flowing in through state advertising, PBS also receives funding to meet its public service obligations. Such funds, of course, come from taxpayers, all taxpayers and not supporters of one party or the other.
Regrettably, the top priority of those handpicked to run the national broadcasting station is evidently not to embarrass the party in government.
Ensuring that PBS functions in a way that serves the public interest and contribute towards a well-informed and culturally enriched society does not feature anywhere in their agenda, whatever they and their political masters would have us believe.
A national broadcasting station must be impartial, transparent and accountable.
That would, in turn, avoid ending up in unnecessary controversy and enjoy public trust in providing reliable and unbiased information.
A ‘revolution’ needs to take place at Guardamangia Hill if the state broadcaster is to enjoy the trust and support of all segments of society.
If the political parties are not interested in making the necessary changes and improvements – which have now become an urgent matter – pressure through a barrage of complaints to the broadcasting watchdog and even the courts may be the only way forward.
PBS, its master’s messenger, must remain in society’s crosshairs until it stops with the indoctrination.