Broadcasting Authority raps PBS for one-sided Xarabank aftermath feature

In an urgent meeting which the Broadcasting Authority held to discuss the drama which unfolded yesterday evening at the Where's Everybody? studios, the Authority expressed its "disappointment" at how the issue was reported on the national TV and the two party media.

In a statement, the BA said that when it agreed that political parties' had the right to nominate any person they wanted to represent them, it never conceded that political parties should give their time to a person who didn't represent it.

"In this case, the PL had no right to cede its airtime to Franco Debono and the agreement between the party and Xarabank should have been respected," board secretary Simon Manicolo said.

"In the absence of Labour's deputy leader [Anglu Farrugia], PBS had all the right to go ahead with the programme as planned, with the sole participation of Simon Busuttil."

The BA added that, if for any logistical problems or any other reason, the PBS decided that the programme shouldn't be held, the station should have aired an alternative programme.

Yesterday evening, TVM held a special news edition during which Xarabank host Peppi Azzopardi was interviewed at length. PBS also aired comments given by the PN's deputy leader as he went left the WE? studios in Qormi.

"PBS had all the right and duty to inform the public as to why a scheduled programme wasn't going to be aired. However, PBS should have never aired a programme were only one version of the events was heard.

"The decision to have only the presenter surpassed all limits of justification."

The Authority went on to warn the TV stations - mainly Net TV and ONE - that they "failed" to deliver the "required service to their audiences".

"The BA will not tolerate a repetition of similar events," it warned.