AD accuses Broadcasting Authority of ignoring its own directives

Alternattiva Demokratika deputy chairperson Carmel Cacopardo has accused the Broadcasting Authority of ignoring its own broadcasting directives, in ignoring a number of protests which AD submitted against PBS.

Cacopardo said that last Wednesday, the Broadcasting Authority informed AD that it did not consider it objectionable when during the debate between the party leaders on Xarabank, AD chairperson Michael Briguglio was allotted less time than the PN and PL leaders notwithstanding that the directive of the same Authority dated 16th January 2013 states that: "The objective of these rules is that in a debate between leaders or deputy leaders of political parties these are treated in a similar manner not only in the permissible time but also in the way they are handled by the presenter."

The Broadcasting Authority also decided that there was nothing wrong with the fact that on PBS programmes on PBS, AD spokespersons are only asked to speak for a few minutes and then invited to leave the set.

"In this situation where both the PN and the PL control of a TV station as well as a radio station, the Broadcasting Authority which is made up of PN and PL nominees, is being an accomplice with PBS in suffocating AD's voice on public broadcasting," Cacopardo said.