The media that labels itself as “independent” was less than comfortable with the outcome of some recent opinion survey which found that it does not enjoy the trust of a majority of citizens. I was not amazed by thefinding.
Within this “independent” media, the dominant culture is absolutely not independent but it is fully coloured by the PN’s political slant. This was admitted to me by a number of (non-Labour) sources inhabiting the diverse outlets.However, one hardly needed such a confirmation. The truth is quite evident in the manner by which media exponents choose their words.
So it was this week when Prime Minister Muscat attended a debate on Malta held by the European Parliament in plenary. I was present and witnessed the PM laugh – in a natural way, his way – while being addressed in a rather aggressive manner by MEP Werner. An online news agency in Brussels reported this and noted his laughter.
But for a local independent newspaper, Muscat had not laughed. He had “sniggered”: a verb with quite a derogatory connotation for who does it. And they kept using the word when referring to the episode, obviously to show the PM in an unflattering light.
Given this unbalanced manner of reporting political reality, is it not clear why the media are losing credibility?
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Berlin/Paris
In the wake of Emmanuel Macron’s triumph in the French presidential and parliamentary elections, there is a growing expectation that big changes could soon follow within the EU. Many understand that Berlin and Paris will again be linked by trust in each other and by a will to cooperate. That should promote agreement for greater European unity in various sectors. There is a widespread belief that the populist tide is waning and that a popular movement can still be launched in favour of a deeper European integration.
Still, one cannot exclude the possibility that those who argue in this way might just be going too fast. True, Macron has achieved a political miracle in his country. Now he faces the challenge of achieving if not another miracle, then at least clear successes on the economic and social fronts. Without them, he would not be taken seriously in Berlin, while in Paris, with or without them, the likelihood is that there will be unrest.
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Fire
Fires fronted European news this past week, with at centre stage, the horrendous flames that engulfed a residential tower in London and the firestorm that rolled across Portuguese woods. In both cases, a significant number of people died.
Comparing two disasters can hardly be done in a meaningful way. However, when one is triggered by natural uncontrollable force, no matter how terrible, it may be possible to find ways and means of coping – even mentally – with it. When the disaster has been sparked by human mistakes or deficiencies, coming to terms with it becomes more difficult.
So it happened with many people to whom the London fire seemed to result from a callous indifference by authorities towards the safety of residents who belonged to the less well off strata of the city. Whether justified or not, such an impression makes the news items that bring us the latest details about the tragedy sound more bitter.