PBS denies 'Castille interference' as PN insists 'news is manipulated'

The Public Broadcasting Services has denied that Castille - the Office of the Prime Minister - interfered with decisions taken by head of news Reno Bugeja.

The PBS was reacting to comments by PN MP Clyde Puli during which he chastised Bugeja for “allowing Castille to control him”.

“Bugeja’s loyalty is not towards his audience but towards Castille,” the PN MP told a press conference outside Television House in Guardamangia.

Puli also accused the national broadcaster of “manipulating” the news in favour of the government, after it chose to lead with an investment to be made by securities company De La Rue instead of focusing on some 300 workers that were going to be laid off.

Yesterday, the Broadcasting Authority said PBS “seriously failed its duties” when it failed to report an incident between backbencher Joe Debono Grech and independent MP Marlene Farrugia, the moment it learned about it.

Debono Grech had told Farrugia that he would “beat her up” during an argument between the two in parliament. Farrugia had by then already resigned Labour’s parliamentary group.

The Broadcasting Authority’s decision was decided by chairman Anthony J Tabone after the board failed to reach a unanimous decision.

Puli has issued several statements accusing veteran journalist Bugeja of “lack of impartiality” but has stopped short of calling for his resignation. “He knows what he has to do,” the MP replied when pressed by reporters, skirting the question.

PBS said this was the first time in over two years that the BA had found “serious shortcomings” in its reporting.

“At no point did the Authority find a breach in broadcasting law or imbalance. In fact, the Authority didn’t order any remedies,” it said, calling the BA’s decision “a subjective” one.