Labour MP Helena Dalli’s criticism of Television Malta’s new commercial identity was a weak exercise in politicising a subject which should not be politically controversial, the Ministry for Investment, Industry and Information Technology said.

Every product on the market updated its identity from time to time, the ministry said. This was especially true of media products such as a television station. The Labour Party’s own station, it added, had done so just a few months ago.

TVM had had the same commercial identity since 1998 and it was superficial to say it was a waste of money to introduce new logos.

What Ms Dalli should have mentioned, the ministry said, was the turnaround in the company’s finances, cutting costs by Lm1.3 million and registering a profit. From a 25 per cent share of the audience market in 2002, the Public Broadcasting Services’ share last year was 40 per cent, the ministry added.