[WATCH] Joseph Muscat visits MediaToday offices

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat visits Mediatoday offices

Despite his busy mid-summer schedule, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat last week found some time to visit MediaToday’s offices in San Gwann, where he had a frank discussion with journalists from MaltaToday and Illum.

Muscat's visit follows a visit by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil who visited MediaToday's offices three weeks ago.

After being shown around the offices and introduced to all members of staff by managing editor Saviour Balzan, Muscat took a seat around the table where editorial meetings are routinely held.

A former journalist himself, the Prime Minister keenly discussed the role of the media and the fine line between journalism and campaigning.

Acknowledging the ever-changing nature of the industry, Balzan stressed that unlike other media outlets, MaltaToday is an independent issue-oriented newspaper which has consistently taken a centre-left and liberal stand on a wide variety of issues, ranging from civil rights to the environment and from governance to EU accession.

“We’re not afraid of discussing taboo subjects,” Balzan said, adding that the newspaper often tackled issues which were not necessarily the most popular.

On his part, Muscat drew a parallel between the shifting landscape in the media industry and the changes which the country has undergone in recent times.

“The government’s machinery is relatively small and its structures are set up to deal with a society which no longer exists. We don’t have all the needed resources, you end up dedicating a lot of time to things which do not necessarily rake in money and you learn how to handle the different and evolving traits of society,” Muscat said.

He also said the existential crisis facing all media outlets around the world is “where does campaigning stop and where does reporting start.”

Muscat added that the new scenario meant that both politicians and journalists “need to get grips on the situation.”

While saying that he’s still on a learning curve on how to deal with the media, Muscat said that the media was “a bit too touchy”.

On a lighter but equally serious note, Muscat said that he had had a better relationship with Lawrence Gonzi than with his current political adversary, Simon Busuttil.

Answering a flurry of quick-fire questions, Muscat said he would “never” underestimate the opposition and ruled out a Cabinet reshuffle in the coming months.

The Prime Minister also dismissed criticism that he sometimes comes across as arrogant. “There’s a fine line which is subjective according to the individual between assertiveness and arrogance. I do not exclude that some people might see me as being arrogant but I believe that I’m being assertive.”