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Karl Schembri
A month will soon pass since government announced it was finally appointing Sylvana Cristina as news manager for PBS but there is no sign that the station will fill the post that was left vacant for more than 18 months.
Sources say Cristina is still negotiating her contract with PBS Chairman Andrew Agius Muscat, demanding a similar package to the one that was about to be given to Times journalist Vanessa Macdonald, in the region of Lm16,000, before her appointment was shot down by the Office of the Prime Minister.
Currently the PBS head of programmes, Cristina is insisting that her new role within the state broadcasting company entitles her to further compensation, although the Investments Ministry considers her appointment as “an internal lateral appointment”.
One condition Cristina is resisting is a year-long probation that the ministry is keen of imposing on her despite her long experience at the station.
Her colleagues say the process seems pretty much at a standstill since she met the chairman more than a week ago. There is agreement about the basic salary, PBS sources say, but the company and the ministry have yet to accede to Cristina’s demands for an extra Lm1,000 to Lm2,000 in fees as the station’s registered editor and performance bonus.
Being legally liable for all the company’s stations’ editorial content (TVM, Radju Malta, 106.6 FM and Education Channel 22) is one of the new responsibilities awaiting Cristina if the appointment takes place. With a general election to be held before her as yet unsigned three-year contract expires, her appointment would be even more sensitive.
While she has agreed in principle to the decision taken by the chairman to appoint her to the hot seat at the helm of the newsroom, her colleagues say she will not take this politically sensitive post without the amendments she is demanding.
Meanwhile, the PBS editorial board is expected to publish its annual report, which according to sources will be highly critical of the process to appoint a news manager, as well as of the messy restructuring process and budget cuts.
kschembri@mediatoday.com.mt
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