Jason Micallef blames PBS CEO Anton Attard for Malta’s loss at semi-final

Valletta 2018 chairman Jason Micallef has laid the blame of Malta’s failure to make it through to the Eurovision song contest final next Saturday, at PBS CEO Anton Attard.

Micallef posted an angry Facebook post last night saying that Attard had a lot to answer for regarding last night’s result and that the country’s failure to make it through to the final was entirely his responsibility.

Attard had been appointed the executive producer of The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014 held in Malta last November after being chosen by the European Broadcasting Unit after it approved the PBS’s vision the competition.

Micallef's post was met with a number of reactions including MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan who tweeted about the accusation questioning what Micalllef would have said had the singer made it through to the final:

Micallef had already previously accused Attard of “prostituting himself and metaphorically stealing One TV’s talent and a number of productions,” when the former head of NET TV and Nationalist Party's election campaign activity logistics, was first appointed as the CEO for PBS.

Attard  had replied to the accusation saying that programme selection at PBS was done according to the National Broadcasting Policy.  Following the publication of the PSI (Programme Statement of Intent) a number of programmes which were previously aired on One TV Submitted an application, but the shortlist of the programmes is done by the Editorial Board of PBS and not by the CEO.

"I did not approach any programme which is currently aired on One TV to submit an application with PBS. I cannot understand how I can be held responsible if private TV producers applied and want their productions aired on PBS," he had said.