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Matthew Vella
The European Commission has told MEP Lilli Gruber, the former RAI journalist, that it is aware of Malta’s “specific” media conglomeration, and that it intends increasing its surveillance of the media in EU member states through the publication of a working paper on media pluralism, scheduled for publication in the next few months.
Commissioner Viviane Reding was answering Gruber after the socialist MEP asked the Commission whether it was aware of the “unique situation” of TV broadcasting in Malta where the political parties and the Church own radio and television stations.
“Together they dominate the audio and audiovisual media,” Gruber said, referring to an October 2002 survey which found 78 per cent of radio listening time was on a station owned by these institutions.
In December the MEP asked the Commission whether it intends taking action with the Maltese authorities to ensure the “anomalous situation” is rectified so that other political parties, minorities and civil society are given the opportunity to voice their opinions on all Maltese TV media.
Gruber highlighted Malta as a particular case where the media sector has become more problematic due to conflicts of interest, where the board of the national Broadcasting Authority is nominated by the Prime Minister after consultation with the Opposition leader.
Commissioner Reding said the Commission was in agreement with the MEP on the importance of media pluralism, saying this was essential to safeguard the democratic process at both national and community level.
Reding said both the EU’s Charter on fundamental freedoms and the Convention on Human Rights provided for the right to information and freedom of expression.
“The Commission intends increasing its surveillance in the media sector through the publication of a working paper on media pluralism. Thanks to this process of monitoring, it will be possible to intensify the debate in member states in order to maintain and reinforce media pluralism in all member states.”
Arnold Cassola, secretary general of the European Green Party, said in a statement that thanks to Gruber the EU Commission was promising to monitor closely the situation of media pluralism. “Hopefully, in the near future, the absurd TV situation in Malta will no longer continue.”
mvella@mediatoday.com.mt
Link:
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2005/12/25/t16.html
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