Opposition Leader Alfred Sant yesterday declared that the state television, Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) has been reduced to a scandalous state and is being used as a partisan tool to broadcast the government’s propaganda.
In a press conference held outside the Broadcasting Authority, Dr Sant said that, the Malta Labour Party (MLP) is expecting the Broadcasting Authority to curb this “institutionalised abuse” and expecting its full cooperation especially with the general election coming up.
Dr Sant said that, in May 2004, Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt had announced a new restructuring plan for PBS that called for a substantial reduction of experienced employees.
In June 2004, added Dr Sant, Dr Gatt had requested, in parliament, all PBS employees who felt they were discriminated against to file a complaint before the Ombudsman.
He went on to say that the Ombudsman had found that mistakes were found in interviews for certain posts and added that, without doubt, the early retirement schemes did not compensate for the psychological trauma that several PBS employees went through after they lost their jobs.
However, said Dr Sant, when faced by the Ombudsman’s report, Minister Gatt stated that he should not have made certain statements that, in turn, increased the employees’ stress.
Dr Sant also pointed out that there were three resignations from three chairmen of the PBS board of directors, and two resignations from the post of chairmen of PBS editorial board.
Furthermore, he added, between 2004 and 2005, the PBS newsroom was without a head of news for entire months.
“Towards 2005, journalist Vanessa McDonald had stated that she was ready to accept the post of news manager with PBS. However, the Office of the Prime Minister intervened and stopped PBS from hiring her and ordered the board of directors to start the process from scratch,” said Dr Sant.
It then emerged that Sylvana Cristina was appointed news manager.
However, Dr Sant said that only recently it was announced that she handed in her resignation and on Monday, PBS announced that former The Times journalist Natalino Fenech was chosen as newsroom manager.
The Opposition Leader pointed out that there was no call for applications before Dr Fenech was appointed and said that it is clearly stated in PBS’ collective agreement that there has to be an internal and external call for applications for any managerial post within PBS.
He went on to say that when the post of PBS news manager, and other managerial posts, was vacant in the past, a call for applications was always issued through the Employment and Training Corporation.
Dr Sant said that Dr Fenech’s financial package as PBS newsroom manager will amount to e48,900/Lm21,000 a year – of which e37,000 will be his gross salary, e2,300 as compensation for his editorial duties, e2,300 for his qualifications and e1,400 as fuel allowance.
Furthermore, he said, Dr Fenech will also have full health insurance, a life insurance scheme, ADSL connection and will be compensated for any study expenses.
The Opposition Leader also spoke about new journalists who have recently started working in the PBS newsroom.
He referred to Keith Demicoli and Sergio Mallia – former NET journalist and former ministerial communications coordinator respectively – and said that their former jobs, described as being “partisan”, were not compatible with their new jobs as PBS journalists.
Dr Sant made it very clear that, following the general election, the Nationalist Party will have to answer to all charges of abuse – “each person will be responsible for their actions.”
He also appealed to the Broadcasting Authority to remain vigilant, especially in the future, to ensure that there is no abuse in state television that will go against the principles of democracy.
Deputy leaders Charles Mangion and Michael Falzon, MLP president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, MLP secretary general Jason Azzopardi and Labour spokesperson for state television Helena Dalli were also present during the press conference.