BA turns down two PN complaints, partially upholds one

The Broadcasting Authority has rejected two separate complaints filed by the Nationalist Party alleging imbalance on TVM’s news bulletin.

Both complaints were filed on 9th May and revolved around the 5th May news bulletin.

The opposition complained that on that day, a report on the EU Commission’s predictions on Malta’s economy ignored the fact that such projections were based on assumptions that the new power station was constructed on time. The party also criticised the fact that its reaction was not mentioned during the same report.

But upon analysing the transcripts of the recorded feature, the Authority deemed the report as “adequate and comprehensive,” concluding that the opposition’s allegations did not subsist.

Similarly, the Nationalist Party also complained about a report on EU funds allocated to Gozo, alleging that it ignored the PN’s reply. It also remarked that the Prime Minister’s statements on the issue were already repeated on 27th April.

In his defence, PBS news editor Reno Bugeja said the newsroom was following a policy where it did not reported replies, since if it did so the news bulletin would only serve as a noticeboard of the political parties. He also argued that the opposition leader’s speech had already touched the same topics.

Reacting to the complaint filed, the Broadcasting Authority established that the absence of PN’s reply did not led to political imbalance. It said the relevant topics were already addressed during the speech by the opposition leader, and that this was adequately reported.

The Broadcasting Authority also delivered its judgement on a separate third complaint filed by the Nationalist Party on 18th April. In this case, the BA partially upheld the PN’s complaint that a series of TV spots of ‘Issa Nista’ campaign were politically motivated.

PBS contended that similar TV spots campaign were broadcast in the past under previous administrations and thus did not see anything wrong. In the past, no complaints were filed on such clips commonly known as public service announcements.

But the Authority said that while it did not want to restrict freedom of expression, certain parts of the announcements touched controversial issues. Thus, it ruled that 30% of the total time of the spots were to be given to the opposition but these should be broadcast after next Saturday’s election, “in order not to create further imbalance in the electoral campaign.”

The Nationalist Party announced it is reserving the right to take this case in court in order to be given the same amount of time that the government took against the law.

It also pointed out it was unacceptable from the BA to deliver its judgement on this case 48 hours prior to the end of the electoral campaign, when this was filed more than three weeks ago.