The Broadcasting Authority has decided against Alternattiva Demokratika in a complaint it made against the BondiPlus programme of 19 November, which was all devoted to the newly set up Azzjoni Nazzjonali political party.

AD had requested TVM to also give it a full programme on BondiPlus, to which TVM argued that AN had just been set up, which was why the programme was produced. The station said that if AD’s request were to be met, the same treatment would have to be accorded to the other long-established political parties.

After hearing the parties, the Broadcasting Authority decided there had been no imbalance, seeing that AD had on several occasions been invited to take part in BondiPlus programmes.

The authority also decided on another complaint, made by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, which had complained that TVM had not given coverage to a speech by UHM leader Gejtu Vella at a Christmas activity for pensioners. TVM argued that Mr Vella had said nothing new, nor had he thrown any new light on known facts.

The authority considered the cases made by the parties and concluded that Mr Vella’s speech had points which merited mention in the main news bulletin TVM carried. TVM was asked to carry a declaration about the issue.