Press Ethics Commission stops hearing PBS complaint against MediaToday

The case was presented after sister paper Illum and MaltaToday had reported that Anton Attard had been appointed as PBS CEO. In its complaint, PBS had cited the part of the Code of Journalistic Ethics which said that there would be a violation “whenever any information supplied is published without verifying its veracity or accuracy, as far as it is possible”.

PBS complained that the selection process for the post of CEO was still taking place, when MaltaToday reported the appointment.

Anton Attard was eventually chosen as new PBS CEO. The announcement was made mid-way through the PBS 8 o’clock news on 22 August 2010.

Significantly, the PEC decision by Chairman Kevin F Dingli was taken on 23 August 2010, the day after PBS officially announced Attard’s appointment as the new PBS CEO.

During the first hearing, Illum editor Julia Farrugia had testified that the article in question was due to “human error which nonetheless was not justified”.

The Commission noted how both Illum and MaltaToday had published a right of reply sent by PBS in the next issue of both newspapers.

During the second hearing of the Commission, the Commission asked PBS whether it had a further interest in pursuing the case. On their part, PBS head of news Natalino Fenech and lawyer Joseph Refalo said that despite the fact that the case was, in their view, a serious one, they were ready to consider the option.

In fact, in an e-mail sent by PBS to the PEC on 28 July 2010, the state broadcaster declared that it was ready to drop the case in view of the apologies made by the MediaToday journalists.

Along with head of news Natalino Fenech, and Editorial Board chairman Joe Pirotta, Anton Attard's trusted position inside the PN and the Office of the Prime Minster will consolidate the position of government’s men at the helm of public broadcasting.