Malta: Broadcasting Authority chairman calls for broadcasting policy review

[Harold Schiffman]

Wednesday, 28th May 2008 - 21:27CET

BA chairman calls for broadcasting policy review

Broadcasting Authority chairman Joseph Scicluna has called on the
government to address the issue of unsatisfactory public broadcasting,
through a review of the broadcasting policy if necessary. Writing in
the authority's annual report for 2007, tabled in Parliament today, Mr
Scicluna noted that after the resignation of the chairman of the PBS
editorial board last August, the advice of the other members of the
board was, on several occasions, not accepted by the management of the
company, even when this referred to purely editorial issues. "At least
on one occasion, a decision by the former registered editor of the
station to grant a right of reply to an aggrieved party in terms of
the Press Act was overruled by management," he said.

Mr Scicluna pointed out that this situation could not be acceptable to
the authority, and said that in a situation where the editorial
functions of the public service broadcaster were not working in a
totally satisfactory manner, the impartiality requirements imposed on
the BA by the Constitution could not be satisfied in the fullest
manner. "It is hoped that the incoming administration will address
this issue, if necessary with a review of the broadcasting policy
issued in 2004," he said.

Mr Scicluna said the authority intended to review the existing
Broadcasting Code for the Correct Use of the Maltese Language on the
Broadcasting Media, which was published in 2002 but did not produce
the desired effect. The authority wanted to take this initiative in
conjunction with the National Council for the Maltese Language. The
report noted that a total of 73 infringements were found by the
authority last year – 25 by TVM, 17 by One TV, 12 by Net TV, eight by
Smash TV, four by Calypso, three by iTV and two each by Melita Cable
and Super One Radio.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080528/local/ba-chairman-calls-for-broadcasting-policy-review

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