Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/318021
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 MAY 2014 13 Europe 2014 The recent controversy surround- ing the banned campaign spot of Imperium Europa is a case in point. Although it was widely reported that PBS had objected to the BA's deci- sion to allow the controversial ad to be shown, the perception remains that it was a PBS decision that was later rescinded. "If it were up to me I would not have run the ad unless it conformed with existing laws and standards," Portughese declares. "But legally we had no choice once the BA took its decision." The controversy however works both ways. Complaints about the ad were many and various, but there is also an argument against censorship even in such extreme cases. Like it or not, the IE ad reflected popular con- cerns which are very real (though whether they are justified is another matter). Isn't there a danger, then, that by suppressing such views one ultimately might play into the hands of racist forces which can afterwards claim to have been censored? Portughese acknowledges the di- lemma, but insists that as long as there are laws governing what can and cannot be broadcast in this country, his hands will be tied. Meanwhile, the confusion between BA and PBS also spills over into the aforementioned political com- plaints. One recent example was a government ad about the reduction in utility tariffs, which was cited by the Opposition as an example of how the state broadcaster was being used to disseminate government propa- ganda. "Reno Bugeja, as head of news, was singled out for criticism. But he had nothing to do with the decision. Our public service commitments compel us to run such ads; we have no say in the matter." If anyone could object it is the BA; but as with the IE ad it saw no objection. "Why, then, does Reno Bugeja get the blame for running the ad?" Portughese adds that the way the situation was reported reinforces the erroneous suggestion that the ad was itself part of PBS's own output. "While the complaint was given a lot of coverage, the BA ruling which cleared PBS of any wrongdoing was hardly reported at all. This is consist- ently the case with complaints made against us." All this points towards an incon- venient underlying truth. The Broad- casting Authority board is composed, among others, by representatives of government and Opposition. But these are represented by political parties which are also station-own- ers in their own right. As a result, the PN and PL have a direct say in the regulation of sectors in which they themselves are key players. Portughese describes the resulting conflict of interesting as "lampanti" [blatant]. This fact alone, he argues, warrants a rethink of the BA as a whole. "When we talk about the Broad- casting Authority, we should ask ourselves a few questions. What is it? Why does it exist? It was set up when we were still a colony. Are the reali- ties it was conceived to address the same as those of today?" The PBS chairman suggests that the time may have come to rethink the organisational structures gov- erning broadcasting. "We need to ask whether the composition of the board is truly inclusive of society at large. Society is made up of more than just the two political parties. At PBS part of our mission statement is to give coverage to all sectors of so- ciety. 60% of our output is composed of local productions; we have ex- panded our sports section to include niche markets such as rugby. Cul- tural programmes have been given more prominence. We have recently been in talks with [Education Min- ister] Evarist Bartolo to step up our English language output, in keeping with government policy to revive English as a national language. The idea is to be more inclusive, to fulfil our declared aim of being a truly na- tional broadcaster…" No such commitment, however, seems to condition the laws and in- stitutions that govern broadcasting in its entirety. "I understand that the BA is a Con- stitutional body, and as such needs a two-thirds majority of parliament to amend. "But with talk of a Constitutional reform already under way, perhaps we can also discuss whether the Broadcasting Authority is still rel- evant in its present form." As TVM's electoral debate moderator, Tonio Portughese has traditionally always been seated directly between Malta's opposing political giants. As PBS chairman, he now finds himself in exactly the same position Between the hammer and the anvil EUROVISION It is one of our biggest financial successes. This year we couldn't even accommodate all the people who wanted to take out advertising. And it doesn't cost the taxpayer a cent, either. All expenses are paid for through advertising revenue… PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION