WATCH: New PN Chief Spokesperson Lashes Out At PBS But Against ‘Xandir Malta Boycott’ Repeat
PBS is turning into a government propaganda machine, using both overt and subtle tactics to make sure people don’t listen to the Opposition, the PN’s new chief spokesperson Peter Agius has warned.
Interviewed on Lovin Daily yesterday, Agius referred to the recent resignation of Mark Laurence Zammit from his show L-Erbgħa Fost il-Ġimgħa due to alleged excessive interference from PBS and the axing of Xarabank from the national broadcaster last year.
“Mark Laurence’s resignation is outright shocking; he’s telling us that he loves his job but he resigned because he wasn’t allowed to do his job and bring out realities, PBS would want to bring on certain people or place certain agendas before others,” Agius said.
The spokesperson laid into PBS’ coverage of the recent findings of a public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, which found the state responsible for creating a “culture of impunity”.
“How much was this report explained by PBS? They reported the Prime Minister’s appeal asking for an apology, and the Prime Minister’s pitch saying he will protect journalists, but did they explain in detail what the inquiry is about, or did it just give the Prime Minister a platform to react to it?”
“This is a matter of concern. Other media houses felt the duty to explain the inquiry report, but PBS should play a major role in this but isn’t doing so because there are interests that want the governments’ message to be given a better platform.”
Agius also warned that PBS intentionally deprioritises the PN in its news bulletins, sometimes not even reporting on speeches given by Opposition leader Bernard Grech.
“You can very subtly pass on the message that one political offer is less relevant than the other,” he said. “We’re trying to tell the people that you don’t have to accept this incompetence and sleaze, but our offer is constantly placed as a fourth, fifth or sixth priority on the news bulletin.”
“A speech given by the Opposition leader might be placed top story on TVM for a few minutes or maybe an hour but then a speech given by the Prime Minister would be top story for a whole day. It can be very subtle; there can be the appearance of objectivity but actually no objectivity at all.”
Despite this criticism of PBS, Agius dismissed calls for a boycott of businesses who advertise on the national broadcaster, a strategy the PN had used in the 1980s in the infamous “Xandir Malta boycott”.
“I disagree with a boycott of PBS advertisers,” he said. “PBS offers a platform to many businesses. This is my personal view, not the party’s but I wouldn’t go there.”
“We want a better PBS, not to muzzle PBS like they’re doing to Mark Laurence and Peppi Azzopardi. We want the news of the day to reflect the political balance of the day, including the voices of anger and frustration at the government. I don’t want to boycott PBS, I want it to be better.”
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