The best way to worship a sex offender

I have to say I feel very awkward commenting about a presenter on TVM. The reasons are obvious. I am also a TV host on the national broadcaster and have been so for the last 25 years. I may not be the best TV discussion host, but over the years I have something to show for my journalism of nearly 40 years.

And I have always juggled between presenting a programme and doing journalism full time.

Over the years other hosts have done the same but many have veered off the journalism career path. I have always been a journalist. I guess it is not ideal to be doing journalism on TVM while being involved in print and online journalism but then again, this is Malta and TVM is the closest you can get to a platform for fair journalism on television—infinitely better than ONE or NET.

That TVM offers a diverse selection of discussion programmes is not a bad idea at all. Indeed, it could be healthier if it were more diverse and journalists with different political inclinations were vying for different audiences.

Very importantly, TV hosts who serve as journalists have long respected the fact that on TVM one must be more than fair and ensure a balanced representation of views. TVM has its own standard that must be upheld.

There is also the conflict-of-interest part to this scenario. There were many occasions when hosts would have a clear conflict of interest and this did not just happen under Labour administrations.

I guess the sublime example of conflict of interest was exemplified by Lou Bondi who had a prime-time TV programme and served as the information officer of the Nationalist Party in the 1990s.

But Lou Bondi is past tense; he is now a consultant sought after by individuals who wish to tap into his wisdom. To be fair to Bondi, for all his partisanship and smug approach, he was a talented presenter, knew his trade and was always well prepared.

Fast forward to the present day and everyone seems to be focused on Ricky Caruana. I must be honest—I avoid watching his podcasts. I ignore them to protect myself from the madness much in the same way I do with some other Johnny-come-latelys. But that does not stop ‘friends’ from sending me clips of what is said on Ricky’s podcasts.

So, when Ricky Caruana chose to interview convicted sex offender Justin Haber, I was wondering what this guy, who never practised journalism before, wanted to achieve.

Short of a whitewash, Caruana gave Haber, the former Maltese national goalkeeper and a former Floriana local councillor on the Labour ticket, a free ride. Haber was found guilty of sexually harassing a minor, who was employed at his restaurant. He was handed down a suspended sentence. The court also ordered that his name be listed in the sex offenders’ register. The court judgment was last week confirmed in its entirety on appeal. But that was only the latest case involving Haber. He had been found guilty of threatening his sister with decapitation and has several pending cases related to fraud and unpaid bills.

But Haber is a nice guy, according to Caruana.

Now, the problem with such interviews, if they can be called so, is that they reveal more about the interviewer than the interviewee. It shows Caruana’s absolute shallowness, lack of respect for women and the determination to shock by saying things that appeal to the ignorant, misogynistic and xenophobic.

Caruana can do what he likes on his podcast—others can criticise him and his ethics. But the issue is much bigger now that Caruana is a staple feature on TVM every Friday. Should the national broadcaster be associated with his genre of trash journalism?

PBS has every right, and is correct, in opening its doors to more voices and styles in the world of debates and current affairs. But Caruana’s contribution is questionable on a station that aspires to produce quality journalism and conversations. The last thing we need is people with misogynistic views; who cannot even understand the gravity of what Haber was found guilty of.

For all our talk of progressive politics, gender equality and zero tolerance for child sex abusers, I cannot quite understand why anyone should defend someone like Haber. It is even harder to understand how someone like Ricky Caruana has become somewhat of a standard bearer for the Labour Party with his unique style of dumbass journalism that has the blessing of the powers that be.

The last time I spoke out against Lou Bondi, several long years ago, I lost my programme on TVM. I felt I needed to speak out today because someone has to voice what many are thinking but prefer to keep silent about. There is a limit to everything. Short of calling it a day, which I will not do any time soon, I feel compelled to speak up.

If TVM really believes Ricky Caruana is a blessing for our screens, it could task him to host a wrestling duel. No brains needed there just pure unadulterated bullshit and bravado.