The news that Xarabank, one of the longest running television programmes to grace Maltese television, had been cancelled by the Public Broadcasting Services on Friday was greeted with what seemed to be a mixture of emotions.

Many saw the decision as being long overdue noting that after 23 years of airtime, the time had come for TVM’s prime-time Friday evening slot to be handed to someone else. Equally, many others saw the decision as another blow to free-speech, considering Xarabank as – in spite of its sensationalist tendencies – one of the most important debating platforms in the national discourse.

There has been no official word as to why PBS decided to axe the show, and Prime Minister Robert Abela on Sunday said that he had nothing to do with the decision, quashing any suggestion that it may have been a politically motivated one.

Now, Xarabank was certainly not everybody’s cup of tea.  However it is undeniable that it has brought a number of significant topics, especially social, into the public discourse, and has served as the platform for political debate on the national broadcaster.  It has also managed to do what no other programme has done; serve as a platform for fundraising for philanthropic causes which now help hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

Xarabank’s removal will no doubt leave a void in this regard. As of yet, there is no indication as to what – or who – will take up Xarabank’s now vacant Friday evening slot.

This is a significant point which warrants further discussion. 

The aforementioned void is one which needs to be filled with not just a replacement, but a worthy replacement.

This is especially important given the climate and questions surrounding PBS at the moment.

PBS has long been seen as a tool wielded by Nationalist and Labour governments alike to push their agendas and steer clear of controversial issues raised by the independent media. 

The appointment of former Super One journalist Norma Saliba as PBS Head of News earlier this month has done nothing to alter that perception.  Neither will a recent decision taken by the Broadcasting Authority to instruct TVM not to air questions posed by journalists during press conferences on the subject of Covid-19 have done any good.

So in this sense, replacing Xarabank is a significant litmus test for PBS.

What this country truly needs in the show’s stead, is a truly impartial programme which delves into topics of importance, be them political, economic, social or otherwise, and provides a platform for a proper, fair, factual, and balanced debate which does not shy away from controversial topics or questions – and which ideally does not turn into a shouting match punctuated by audience intervention, much like a social media comments board would.

Anything short of that would be a detriment to the national discourse, and freedom of speech in the country as a whole.