Public Broadcasting Services Ltd yesterday filed a complaint with the Press Ethics Commission against Super One television following their coverage of the appointment of Natalino Fenech as news manager.

In its letter of complaint to Chief Justice Emeritus Guzeppi Mifsud Bonnici, PBS said that the report in question was broadcast on 31 January at 7.30pm.

The crux of the matter, according to PBS, is that Super One said that PBS did not reply to a set of questions sent by Super One by email on 30 January. PBS maintains that the questions were indeed answered at 1.04pm on 31 January, over six hours before the bulletin was broadcast.

PBS said that Super One also covered a press conference by Opposition leader Alfred Sant, yet no reference was made to the replies sent in by PBS.

In its letter, PBS said: "In our view, this is in breach of the code of ethics because it goes even beyond clause 4(c) of unethical behaviour. This clause denotes unethical behaviour takes place when every any information supplied is published without verifying its veracity and accuracy, as far as it is possible."

PBS said that One News had replies in its possession which showed how Dr Fenech was appointed, that he had placed first in a call for applications three years ago, that the post was important and could not remain vacant, especially during delicate times, and that Dr Fenech was offered the post according to established legal procedures. PBS also said that it had made it amply clear that there was no political interference in the appointment and that One News simply ignored the information. PBS urged the commission to investigate the case.