During the interview, he spoke of his time with some of Malta’s leading news desks.

“I’ve worked on both One and Net before working with TVM. Each has its own bias and are part of the propaganda machines of the two political parties. Do I subscribe to their news bulletins and the way they report? Not entirely. I don’t subscribe to the way they doorstop politicians and spin news.”

Demicoli added that everyone in the business has their biases, including him. However, if the public broadcasting services want to truly be independent, they must be protected from the clutches of politicians.

“If political parties truly want an objective and independent news portal, the governance of PBS needs to be overhauled. People appointed to its board shouldn’t be politicians or the government.”

“The UK’s national broadcaster BBC is an ideal scenario for Malta. That’s what TVM could be,” he said.

Lovin Malta has launched its own bid to show that propaganda by political party stations is unconstitutional by filing a historic court case in January.

Demicoli was the face of TVM’s evening news for around 14 years. His decision to leave the industry was a tough decision and surprised the nation, but he looks back at his years fondly.

“It’s amazing, being able to be the ‘TV voice’ of the nation. Being in such a privileged position was amazing. It is glamorous and flattering for people to see you in the street and know who you are – but it’s the connections you make… that’s the most amazing thing about being on the frontlines. I’m really grateful and blessed,” Demicoli mused. 

The former journalist reminisced about stories that stuck with him the most, from an elderly COVID-19 patient and their miraculous recovery to a grim discovery of a corpse that prompted a national discussion on loneliness.

“I just love being able to tell people’s stories.”

Will you miss Keith Demicoli on TVM?