The Malta Independent 13 February 2025, Thursday
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RTK103 says BA is forcing it to air Normal Lowell’s ‘extremist, racist, far-right political views’

Wednesday, 21 August 2024, 17:54 Last update: about 7 months ago

The radio station RTK103 has said that the Broadcasting Authority is forcing it to air Imperium Europa leader Norman Lowell's "extremist, racist, and far-right political views", running roughshod over editorial freedom.

The radio station which is run by Beacon Media Group, which in turn is owned by the Catholic Church in Malta, said in a statement that it will be appealing the latest BA decision in Imperium Europa's favour.

It said that in its latest decision, the Authority imposed a fine of €4,660 after it found RTK103 guilty of failing to respect impartiality by not inviting Imperium Europa on its discussion programme 'Andrew Azzopardi on RTK103' during the electoral campaign.      

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The fine comes hot on the heels of another fine of €6,410 imposed by the Broadcasting Authority last January after Azzopardi said on-air that he wouldn't allow Norman Lowell to express his extremist, racist and far-right views on his programme. This decision by the Broadcasting Authority is being contested in court.

"Lowell has a long history of racist and xenophobic statements, including published calls for widespread ethnic cleansing on a global scale. Such writings and statements were explicitly cited by the Courts when he was sentenced to a suspended jail term for inciting racial hatred in 2013. Over the years, the Broadcasting Authority has even fined broadcasters for inviting Lowell and allowing him to air such views," RTK103 observed.

In its decision dated 21st August 2024, the Broadcasting Authority acknowledged the station's editorial decision not to invite any political candidates from all parties, including independent candidates, on its radio programmes.

"In full compliance with the directive imposed during the electoral campaign, the CEO of the Broadcasting Authority, Dr Joanna Spiteri, was always informed about each guest beforehand and never objected to the list of guests sent prior to each programme. She ironically pressed charges against the station over guests she had found no issue with," the radio station said.

"During the hearings, after once again refusing to entertain a request to exclude Dr Adriano Spiteri from acting as the board secretary in this case due to the undeniable fact that up until 2022 he was the General Secretary of the complaining party, the Broadcasting Authority deemed that it ought to force RTK103 to express views it is completely against. This is in clear breach of its right to freely express itself," the station continued.

The radio station also noted that it is "curious" to note that the Broadcasting Authority's CEO confirmed that the charges were issued following a report by its own Programme Monitoring Unit. "However, the Broadcasting Authority, for no reason based at law, refused a request made by the station to have these individuals testify," it said.

The station said that it believes that the Authority's directive to ensure "a wide representation of different opinions" was fully respected throughout the electoral campaign by inviting over 60 guests with a wide variety of opinions, while excluding all electoral candidates.

RTK103 said that it is seeking the public's help to continue its legal battle against the Broadcasting Authority's "repeatedly biased decisions."

"As it continues to act as judge, jury, and executioner with impunity, the Broadcasting Authority is also unashamedly interfering with the media's editorial freedom and its refusal to fuel racial hatred," the station concluded.


 

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