The Broadcasting Authority has found PBS guilty of bias it its multi-hour programme regarding the swearing-in ceremony of new President Myriam Spiteri Debono.

The BA was acting on a complaint by the Nationalist Party with regard to the panel of politicians who took part in the programme, as well as comments that were made.

In the said programme, PBS invited three former Labour ministers – Helena Dalli, Karmenu Vella and Alex Sceberras Trigona, but no one from the Nationalist Party took part.

PBS defended itself saying that an invitation had been extended to former PN minister Tonio Borg, but he was unavailable. The BA said PBS should have been more cautious it its panel of invitees and see that there was a “balanced representation”.

The BA also noted that during the programme Dalli made “controversial political comments” which deserved to be balanced out. The absence of anyone from the Nationalist Party prevented this from happening, and the BA was therefore accepting the PN’s complain regarding the programme’s bias.