Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1507380
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 SEPTEMBER 2023 EWROPEJ This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author's view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains EU law that could sever Castille's control of PBS heads for vote MATTHEW VELLA CASTILLE'S historic control of the national broadcaster could be challenged by the prospective European Media Freedom Act as MEPs get ready to vote on the draft bill in October. For decades, Malta's Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) and its channel Television Malta has been under the sway of the rul- ing administration – without ex- ception treating its chairpersons, CEOs and heads of news as typical appointments of trust. Now Members of the European Parliament are expected to vote in a law that forces EU mem- ber states to ensure independent structures for public and national broadcasters. For a country like Malta, where PBS's close control by central gov- ernment has been a bone of con- tention for decades, the law could have wide ramifications. If made law, member states will have to ensure – either by law or actions – that public broadcasters have full autonomy and editorial independence from governmen- tal, political, economic or private vested interest. PBS management structures would have to be appointed in a transparent, open and non-dis- criminatory procedure. An in- dependent authority will also determine the financial needs ap- propriate for public service media providers. Historically controlled Little has changed inside Malta's public broadcaster, where news agendas tend to be 'controlled' ul- timately by the tone set by whoev- er is enthroned at Castille. In August 2005, shortly after a restructuring exercise to cut down on staffing levels at TVM, the appointment through a public call of the former Times journalist Vanessa Macdonald as manager news and current affairs was ve- toed by the Nationalist adminis- tration. It was the first attempt at filling the editorial position by resorting to a public call. MacDonald then reportedly enjoyed the confidence of in- vestments minister Austin Gatt, whose ministry had carried out the public broadcaster's restruc- turing. In a comment to the press at the time, a spokesperson for Gatt had said that as a govern- ment organisation, "public scruti- ny in selection processes in public sector entities should be first of all governed by stringent confidenti- ality measures." However, months later, the government hand-picked PBS manager of programmes, Sylvana Cristina – sister of then education minister Dolores Cristina – as news manager. The government said the choice was "recommend- ed by the PBS board of directors" which itself was appointed by the investments ministry. From 2008 to 2013, another for- mer Times journalist, Natalino Fenech, was appointed as head of news at TVM following Cristina's resignation. At the time, Labour's then spokesperson on public broadcasting, Helena Dalli – now a European Commissioner – was quick to shoot down Fenech's appointment. "Is this a political appointment? How did this hap- pen? Why did they not issue calls for applications?" Dalli said. "It is only a symptom of government's state of panic to go for this kind of appointment on election eve. Everyone knows Fenech's bias to- wards the PN; his editorial line is obvious." Any lip-service Labour has ev- er paid to transparent selection processes came to an end upon election in 2013. Its first choice as head of news was the experienced Reno Bugeja, a redoubtable inter- viewer who still had to kick back against repeated criticism from the Nationalist opposition about pro-government bias. Bugeja left upon retirement in 2020, to be replaced by hand-picked Norma Saliba. Saliba's departure Saliba resigned her post earlier this year following a fall-out with PBS executive chair Mark Sam- mut. She cited a "deceitful char- acter assassination campaign" against her as reason for the deci- sion. In a pointed Facebook post, Saliba insisted that she never took advantage of her position to "ben- efit or destroy" anyone. "Despite this, over the past few weeks I ended up being a victim of a de- ceitful character assassination campaign… silence was my reply but more effort is needed to pro- tect journalists and show more re- spect to women in top posts." Saliba had been on long leave for several weeks as things came to a head between her and Sammut. Other sources close to Cabinet had told MaltaToday that Saliba's father, veteran sports reporter Mario Saliba, wrote a stern letter to all ministers complaining over the way his daughter was being treated by the company manage- ment. No editor at PBS Saliba's editorial role had been cut down last year when Charles Dalli – the company's chief oper- ating officer – was appointed as registered editor instead of her. Sources within the national broadcaster says a new balance will have to be reached inside the TVM newsroom, given the un- orthodox arrangement that sees someone outside the newsroom occupying the role of editor. This could take the shape of hav- ing both an experienced veteran granted an editorial, yet admin- istrative position, together with a Castille loyalist as a political edi- tor. TVM's newsroom is staffed by numerous talented individuals who have amassed years of expe- rience in broadcast journalism: Mario Xuereb, drafted in 2012 from the Nationalist organ NET TV, is manager news production and current affairs, and has ex- celled himself in historical doc- umentaries; veteran broadcaster Ruth Amaira's name is etched in TVM's history; and Mario Mi- callef, another experienced TVM reporter, has years of experience. Other names might be interest- ed in seeking promotion to head the newsroom: online editor Ow- en Galea has a 20-year history in journalism, and like him, seasoned reporter Maria Muscat hails from the One TV newsroom; another seasoned reporter is Fiorella Pace, while recent hires Liam Carter and former Illum editor Albert Gauci Cunningham both hailed from the same masthead before joining PBS. Who will be appointed instead of Saliba remains a question mark and it remains to be seen wheth- er the proposed new EU rules will have any bearing on the choice. Other provisions In their draft position on the European Media Freedom Act, adopted on Thursday by 24 votes in favour, three against and four abstentions, MEPs proposed to cap public advertising allocated to a single media provider, online platform or a search engine to 15% of the total advertising budget al- located by that authority in a given EU country. To assess media independence, MEPs want to oblige outlets to publish information on who owns them and on whoever ben- efits from it, directly or indirectly. They also want them to report on state advertising and state finan- cial support, including when they receive public funds from non-EU countries. MEPs also want to oblige media service providers to report on any potential conflict of interest and on any attempts of interference in editorial decisions. MEPs want the European Board for Media Services (the Board) – a new EU body to be set up by the act – to be legally and functionally independent from the Commis- sion and able to act on its own, not only at the Commission's request. Finally, they want an independent "expert group", representing the views of the media sector and in- cluding civil society, to feed into the work of the board. mvella@mediatoday.com.mt