Broadcasting watchdogs have six days to submit reply in PN media imbalance case

PBS, the Broadcasting Authority, Minister Carmelo Abela and the State Advocate has six days to reply to a constitutional case opened by the Nationalist Party and media imbalance across the state broadcaster.

The courts agreed on Tuesday that the case is a matter of urgency, forcing all parties to submit their reply in a matter of days. The first hearing will take place on 17 February.

In its case, the Nationalist Party is asking for stronger impartiality in state broadcasting, arguing that the PN suffered months of political imbalance in PBS news coverage.

The court application, submitted three days ago, was signed by PN secretary-general Michael Piccinino as well as lawyers Paul Borg Olivier and Francis Zammit Dimech, both of whom previously served as PN general secretaries.

David Agius, the party’s Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs, had claimed that the state broadcaster became “completely infiltrated” by Labour propaganda and no longer offered balanced views on issues of national importance.

In a statement on Tuesday, the PN said it will put for balance and impartiality in all broadcasting, but most especially in the national broadcasting services.

“The Nationalist Party spent whole months trying to make sure the Broadcasting Authority and PBS take needed action on this imbalance. Nonetheless, the party had no alternative than to take legal action to protect the rights of the Opposition and the Maltese public, the latter of whom deserves balanced broadcasting and communications.