PN wins broadcasting complaint against PBS on Michael Piccinino’s resignation

The Broadcasting Authority has decided in the PN’s favour over a complaint against the public broadcaster on its reporting of Michael Piccinino’s resignation as the party’s secretary-general.

Piccinino filed the complaint himself against TVM claiming that the national broadcaster failed to provide equal prominence to his resignation as secretary-general of the PN compared to the extensive coverage given to Ramona Attard, President of the Labour Party, when she announced she would not seek re-election.

Piccinino argued that while PBS extensively covered Attard’s statement, including reactions from the Prime Minister, his own statement and reactions were ignored by PBS after a report in The Sunday Times of Malta mentioned his departure.

In the hearing on September 17, Mark Vassallo, representing PBS, stated that PBS had reported on Piccinino’s resignation through an interview with the Opposition Leader. However, Piccinino argued that his direct comments were omitted, unlike the case of Dr. Attard.

After reviewing the case, the Broadcasting Authority concluded that similar situations were treated differently. The report on Attard included her own comments, while Piccinino’s only included comments by the Opposition Leader. The complaint was upheld, and the Authority ordered PBS to broadcast this decision within two days.

In a statement, the Nationalist Party accused the public broadcaster of censorship. “The PN will continue to take every necessary step until PBS stops being Super One 2 and becomes a truly public broadcaster,” the statement reads.