Alfred Mifsud

Mifsud lashes out at DOI

Super One's flamboyant Chairman, Alfred Mifsud, has lashed out at the Department of Information for what he has referred to as a clear-cut case discrimination, after the department failed to notify the television station of the prime minister's address to the nation on 15 February.

However, the DOI had notified both PBS and Nationalist NET TV of the event.

In a statement issued by One Productions Limited, coupled by copies of correspondence related to the station's battle of letters with the DOI between 19 February and 16 March, it contends, "The cameraman was allowed to film the broadcast only after the station's insistence. This discrimination goes against free access to information."
However, following criticisms to the effect that the DOI had failed to reply to a complaint forwarded by Super One DOI Director, Emanuel Abela replied to Mr Mifsud explaining that the complaint had not reached the DOI – stressing that the DOI did not pre-advise any media organisation about the event, and that DOI officials had made arrangements for a Super One cameraman to record the message.

Mr Abela added, "Representatives of NET TV, who were at Saint James Cavalier, preparing to transmit a programme from there at the time, requested to broadcast the PM's speech, and this was granted. In the same manner, without any insistence whatsoever, One News, through their cameraman, was allowed to film the broadcast. So it results that there was no discrimination with One Productions, as their request was also granted," Mr Abela retorted.

However, Mr Mifsud contends that the DOI's explanation fails to offer an exhaustive explanation as towhy Super One was not informed of the address, emphasising the cameraman's filming was not without obstructions. He explains, "He ‘Super One's cameraman' was allowed downstairs only after the cameramen of other stations were allowed to shoot their footage, and the Super One journalist insisted on the same facility."
On his part, Mr Abela said that the Office of the Prime Minister granted Super One journalist Glenn Bedingfield's request to let One News record the broadcast. He explained that the case in point was dealt with directly by the OPM, which, according to the resultant facts, dealt with the issue in a correct manner.

However, Mr Mifsud insists that Mr Abela did not explain why the OPM had by-passed the DOI, dealing directly with the respective stations: "This is an abuse of power allowing the government to favour the PN's station. This is even more serious, as during the day of the address, it was widely known that the Broadcasting Authority was conducting an audience survey," he concluded.