After Labour offensive, PBS lists PL affiliates employed with state TV

In an attempt to rubbish Labour’s claims of a “PN network” working at the station, PBS lists number of positions taken up by former PL executives or media employees.

PBS accuses Labour MP Gino Cauchi of lying and of twisting facts.
PBS accuses Labour MP Gino Cauchi of lying and of twisting facts.

The Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) attempted to downplay accusations of having "setup a network for the PN's electoral campaign" by providing a list of employees who were either former ONE workers or members of the party executive.

In a statement, PBS said former members of the PL executive, former Labour international secretary, a former head of ONE News, a former journalist and cameraman at ONE and former two presenters, producers and chief executive of ONE.

"They were not employed because of their political beliefs, but because of their abilities," the station said.

Yesterday, Labour MP Gino Cauchi hit out at PBS in a dissection of what he called its "politically biased agenda" and "crass reporting" on the current parliamentary stalemate.

He also listed its top officials as being party to an effort to assist the PN in its upcoming electoral campaign.

"CEO Anton Attard was formerly chief of Net TV and a main member of the PN's electoral strategy team in 2008; the head of news Natalino Fenech is allowing his political agenda to influence news bulletins; former Net TV journalists and a minister's spokesperson Mario Xuereb has been appointed junior manager for current affairs programmes; and former PN journalist and MEPA board secretary Sylvana Debono is now online content manager," Cauchi said.

Cauchi also reassured workers that "contrary to spreading rumours, no PBS worker will be made redundant" in the eventuality of a Labour government.

But in its statement, PBS accused Cauchi of lying insisting that there was no scaremongering campaign going on at the station.

PBS said it expected Cauchi to issue an apology after making "unfounded claims' earlier this week during a television programme on ONE TV.

It also accused the Labour MP of "pressuring workers to condition them", while adding that the general public were "intelligent enough" to understand who was saying the truth.

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Patricia Marsh
Sinjuri tal-PBS. Veru ghandkom ragun! Anke l-Partit Nazzjonalista fost il-kandidati tieghu ghandu ex-prezentatrici tal-ONE. Tiftakru lil Claudette Pace (illum Buttigieg biex titla' 'l fuq fil-karta tal-vot) tipprezenta programm kuljum fuq il-ONE?
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Mark Fenech
Imma kif l-anqas tistħu ma tafu u tippretendu li n-nies jemnukom. Halli niehu ezempju wieħed, l-ex-segretarju nternazzjonali li semmejtuh. Dak giebtuh maghkom meta ma telaqx fl-ezekuttiv u hada bi kbira. Illum huwa l-PRO tal-Isqof t'Ghawdex u mhux tal-Labour Party. Arawh kull filghodu joqoghod attent xi jghid, filwaqt li Pierre Portelli jrid jghid tieghu basta dejjem kontra l-partit laburista. Mela dahhaltu wkoll cameraman, maghkom, mur ara dan kemm ghandu say fuq l-istrategija tal-PBS. Generalment dawk li ddahlu mal-PBS, ghax ikunu kisruha mal-Partit Laburista u allura tkun tridu tiehdu vantagg minnhom. Iddahquniex, mela hsiebtu li kulhadd bla mohh.
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Sur Panto1 , naqbel miegħek perfettament dwar dak kollu li għidt , għax dan kollu jiddependi jekk inti tkunx f'pozizzjoni li tkun tista tmexxi l-aġenda tiegħek . Sinjuri tal-PBS , naqbel magħkhom li , the general public are " inteligent enough " to understand who is saying the truth .
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Luke Camilleri
But really who is in control at PBS? Who pushes the button or gives the order on which button to push and when?
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maria aquilina
And these were chosen by.....the lackeys of FonziPN.
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Why did PBS not mention the names of so called labour affiliates? The anupy mini-minor positionsswer is , because they occupy mini-minor positions unlike the 4 mentioned by labour who have the power to edit and command what is shown and what not shown. Which news item takes precedence and which is relagated and hid between other news items. Apart from the fact that one presenter is a disgruntled labour ex-candidate who expected himself to be elected but didn't and went looking for pastures anew.
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X'tipretendu? Li il haddiema fil PBS huma kollha nazzjonalisti? Hekk baqa jonqos. Kemm hemm haddiema laburisti li immexxu programmi ta grajjiet kurrenti ? kemm hemm laburisti li jiddeciedu x'jihder u ma jidhirx waqt l-ahbarijiet tal PBS? Tant sar ovvju PBSTVM2WENETTV li hadd ma ghadu jemmnu.
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@Panto1: There is NO PBS..there is only a PBS hijacked by manipulators of the truth!
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So can PBS give them some air time instead those of Where's Everybody, and Pepi when are going to invite Franco now he has been in local news for nearly a year and merits some air time and to balance the program you can invite Gonzi too, to see what he has to say, may he will do like the last billboard pn made.
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Intom tal-PBS qed tippruvaw tattu ix-xemx bl-arbiel. Titqazzez tara li-news u tista tghid il-programmi kolla . M'hemmx differenza minn-Net Tv. Mhux ta' b'xejn li l-Awtorita sabitkom hatja ta' zbilanc kemm il-darba. Intkom misskom tohorgu apologija u mhux Cauchi ghax intkom mhallsin minn flus il-poplu u mintkomx tatu is-servizz kiff suppost.
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I think the management at PBS should be congratulated for the great improvement in the quality of its programming. TVM2 has been a great addition and Maltese television has become watchable. On the other hand, parties, and especially, the Labour Party, are trying to interfere in what is shown on the national station when they have their own stations which broadcast in permanent violation of the Constitution. Parties should grow up and understand that nowadays there are multiple sources of information and one can no longer manipulate public opinion through biased broadcasting on the public station. Once this is done, it loses its credibility and hence, its effectiveness. Guys at PBS, keep up the good work. J. Ellis.
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Igor P. Shuvalov
What about carrying out an independent survey to check what the "intelligent" general public think of PBS.Listing the names of PBS said former members of the PL executive, former Labour international secretary, a former head of ONE News, a former journalist and cameraman at ONE and former two presenters, producers and chief executive of ONE does not mean anything, as what is really important, is who takes decisions.
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Even one of the main English language newspapers has Labour supporters amongst its staff: but it is the CEO and editorial team that sets the agenda...and rightly so, not the employees! What a lame excuse by PBS's Pn leaning bosses!
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l istess haga ux head of news, ceo u cameraman u gurnalist!! b'min tahsbu li qed tghaddu z-zmien?? hsibtu li l-poplu ghadu injorant??
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l istess haga ux head of news, ceo u cameraman u gurnalist!! b'min tahsbu li qed tghaddu z-zmien?? hsibtu li l-poplu ghadu injorant??
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Having Beppe Fenech Adami's brother-in-law as CEO of PBS says it all
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adding that the general public were "intelligent enough" to understand who was saying the truth.DON'T YOU WORRY, THAT IS WHAT THE PUBLIC IS DOING, WATCHING PBS NEWS IS LIKE WATCHING NET NEWS, YOU SHOULD CHANGE THE NAME TO NET2, AND I TELL YOU AGAIN, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THE PUBLIC IS STUPID.
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I agree with Panto 1. Are those referrred to by the PBS still part of the PL?
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http://www.francodebono.com/2012/10/13/yes-pbs-is-worse-than-the-eighties/
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As if anyone would believe the Prince of Lies! PBS is pathetic!
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Ha Ha Ha L-ebda wiehed min dawn il persuni ma qieghed f'pozizzjoni li jinfluwenza lil eletorat. Ghidli cameraman xjista jaghmel. Imma head of news, head of programmes. Lou Bondi u Where's is everybody dawn kollha jistghu jinfluwenzaw anke jekk b'mod sottili.
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http://opinjoni.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/friday-nights-farce-in-maltese-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-2
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Mario Pace
I agree with PBS that there are people employed which formed part of the PL. But in what capacity? Are they in a position to move the agenda as those coming from PN side which are employed in much higher psoitions? This what PBS should explain. Who edits news reports?