Paul Bonello back on RTK after ‘cordial meeting’

Stockbroker Paul Bonello will return to RTK as a guest on Christine Delicata’s programme ‘Għal Kulħadd’ having been dropped from the show earlier this week.

“Beacon Media Group, operators of RTK103, and Mr Paul Bonello held a cordial meeting yesterday evening during which it was agreed that the independent financial advisor would return to the station as a guest on Christine Delicata’s programme ‘Għal Kulħadd’, after the recently-acquired sponsor for the slot pulled out,” RTK Editor-in-Chief Matthew Xuereb said on Friday afternoon.

Earlier this week, Bonello said on Facebook that he had been advised his fortnightly guest participation on the radio programme, regarding finance and economic matters, was no longer required.

The decision came days after his missive against a planned sale of HSBC Bank Malta to Church-owned bank APS in comments to MaltaToday.

Xuereb said on Friday that discussions with the sponsor initially took place four months ago and only reached a conclusion in recent days and that the sponsor was unaware Bonello would be impacted by the arrangement.

“As mentioned in Beacon Media’s initial statement, there were never any ulterior motives in RTK’s acquiring of a sponsor for the slot occupied by Mr Bonello. There was certainly no attempt on behalf of Beacon Media to silence anyone,” he said. “The guest slot occupied by Mr Bonello, an independent financial advisor without any ties to an investment house, is neither a sponsored nor a paid advert. Nor does he receive any remuneration.”

The RTK editor-in-chief said Beacon Media reiterates its commitment to providing the general public with objective, informed and diverse opinions in line with its mission, ethics and values.

“Beacon Media and Mr Bonello are pleased recent misunderstandings have been cleared and look forward to collaborating going forward,” he said.