Times Of Malta And MaltaToday Newsrooms Weren’t Consulted Over New Media Lobby Group
Times of Malta and MaltaToday’s newsrooms weren’t consulted over the formation of a media owners’ association that is set to lobby for government funding.
Times of Malta editor-in-chief Herman Grech and MaltaToday executive editor Kurt Sansone confirmed the lack of consultation in response to questions by The Critical Angle Project.
The owners of Times of Malta (Allied Newspapers) and MaltaToday (MediaToday) both form part of the new Association of Media Owners, along with the owners of PL-owned ONE, PN-owned NET, GWU-owned Union Print, and The Malta Independent.
AMO has said it is only open to media houses that employ a minimum of seven journalists and three “media workers”, raising concerns that legacy media outlets and political parties are attempting to set the rules for smaller, online-based media platforms and journalists.
Asked for their newsroom’s stance on the fact that their media outlets are now associated directly with political parties, both Grech and Sansone attempted to distance themselves from AMO.
“Times of Malta’s newsroom has always operated independently from its commercial arm. And will continue doing so,” Grech said.
“Allied Newspapers made it clear in a statement that editorial is free to scrutinise the operations of the new association, as is the case with all other local entities. Our editorial arm does not and will not have any ‘direct association’ with political party propaganda outlets.”
“From the statement released by the association upon its formation, it is clear this is a trade organisation formed by owners to lobby for their interests,” Sansone said. “Irrespective of who forms part of this association, the MaltaToday editorial team will continue to perform journalism that is irreverent. Our editorial arm has no, and will have no, association with political party media.”
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