Xarabank presenter’s role in PL media commission was simple ‘ice-breaker’

The members of the Labour media commission who were appointed to draft a code of ethics for the party’s media arm have penned a letter to Opposition leader Joseph Muscat stating the role played by Xarabank presenter Peppi Azzopardi in the media commissioner could not be compared to the role he played in ‘coaching’ Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando during the 2008 elections.

The members of the ad hoc commission – Carmen Sammut, Charles Flores, Joe A. Vella and Roger Mifsud – said that contrary to Azzopardi’s claims, nobody outside of the selected members of the commission had drafted the PL media’s code of ethics, and that consultation “not training” seminars were held for Super One journalists.

Azzopardi has claimed his role in the Labour media commission was an example of his contribution to both political parties, after his coaching to Pullicino Orlando in facing down Opposition leader Alfred Sant in 2008 was revealed by the MP in the course of a libel suit against Mediatoday managing editor Saviour Balzan, instituted by Permanent Representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana.

“Ask anyone who attended and they will remember the ‘ice breaker’ game organised by Azzopardi. This had nothing to do with ethics or politics, but was meant for those present to get to know each other better,” the commission members stated in their letter.

Azzopardi’s claims that he had contributed to two seminars to provide training to Super One employees could be clarified and disproved by reading the minutes taken during the seminars depicting each individual’s role throughout the meeting. “In August 2008, two seminars were organised for media employees but these were not training seminars but consultation meetings. There is no comparison between his role during the seminars and the allegations being made regarding his secret political role with the Nationalist Party during the 2008 general elections,” the four members said.