The Malta Institute of Journalists has dissociated itself from a report drawn up by The Shift purportedly portraying the press situation in Malta.

The IĠM has written to complain to the International Press Institute (IPI), with which The Shift shared its so-called report.              

“While acknowledging that this is carried under the by-line of The Shift News, it is of serious concern to us that this seems to be portrayed as a report on the current situation in Malta. The Institute of Maltese Journalists does not endorse the report and would like to point out that it would have appreciated being consulted prior to publication,” the institute said in an email.

The report claimed that Covid-19 funds were threatening media independence in Malta, a vicious and dishonest claim disputed by the main news organisations in Malta.

The editors of the The Times of Malta, The Malta Independent and MaltaToday will be filing a formal complaint with the IPI on its report.