[20/13] Kjarifika mill-Awtorita` tax-Xandir (17/12/2013)

Media Release 20/13

SMIGĦ TA’ LMENT MILL-PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA KONTRA L-PBS DWAR NUQQAS TA’ RAPPURTAĠĠ TA’ DISKORS TAL-MINISTRU EDWARD SCICLUNA FI BRUSSEL U TA’ STQARRIJA TAL-ISTESS PARTIT FIL-BULLETTIN TAL-AĦBARIJIET TAL-PBS

Illum it-Tlieta, l-Awtorità tax-Xandir kellha fuq l-aġenda tagħha s-smigħ ta’ lment imressaq nhar il-11 ta’ Dicembru 2013 mill-Partit Nazzjonalista dwar allegat nuqqas ta’ rappurtaġġ ta’ diskors li għamel il-Ministru Edward Scicluna fi Brussel nhar il-5 ta’ Dicembru u ta’ stqarrija dwar l-istess suġġett tal-Partit Nazzjonalista.

Dalgħodu, fit-8.30a.m., l-Awtorità kienet infurmata li s-Sur Reno Bugeja, il-Kap tal-Aħbarijiet tal-PBS, kien indispost u ntalab differiment tas-smigħ tal-każ.

Kif inhi l-‘policy’  tal-Awtorità, li ġiet segwita għal numru ta’ snin mal-partiti u l-istazzjonijiet kollha, l-Awtorità, għal din ir-raġuni valida, aċċettat it-talba għal differiment u dan biex jiġi salvagwardjat il-prinċipju ta’ smigħ xieraq minħabba li x-xhieda tas-Sur Bugeja, bħala editur tal-istazzjon u Kap tal-Kamra tal-Aħbarijiet, hija kunsidrata essenzjali biex l-Awtorità tkun tista’ tasal għal deċizjoni ġusta dwar il-każ.

Kieku l-Awtorità m’aċċettatx li jsir dan id-differiment, kienet tkun mhux biss qed tonqos milli tagħti l-faċilità ta’ ‘fair hearing’, imma potenzjalment tesponi ruħha għal proċeduri ġudizzjarji.

Kif sar f’każijiet oħra fil-passat, iż-żewġ partijiet ġew infurmati bil-posponiment tas-smigħ. F’dan il-każ, iż-żewġ partijiet kienu infurmati bl-iżviluppi sal-10.30a.m.

L-Awtorità diġà ffissat is-smigħ ta’ dan il-każ għal nhar il-Ħamis 19 ta’ Diċembru u ż-żewġ partijiet ġew infurmati b’tali data tas-smigħ.

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Complaint by PN vs PBS on lack of reporting of Hon. Min. Prof. Edward Scicluna’s speech in Brussels and of the press release issued by the PN in the main news bulletin of TVM

The Broadcasting Authority was today scheduled to discuss the complaint filed by the PN on 11th December 2013 against PBS regarding the alleged lack of reporting of the speech made by Minister Edward Scicluna in Brussels on 5th December and of the press release issued by the PN on this matter.

This morning, at 8:30a.m., the Authority was informed that Mr Reno Bugeja, Head of News at PBS, was indisposed and a deferment for the hearing of this case was sought.

The policy, followed for a number of years by the Broadcasting Authority with all political parties and broadcasting stations, has always been that of accepting valid requests for deferment so that the right to a fair hearing is preserved. In this case, the submission of Mr Reno Bugeja as Head of News of PBS Ltd. is considered vital so that the Authority can deliver a fair and just ruling.

If the Authority had not accepted this request for deferment, it would not only have been in breach of the law and the right to a fair hearing, but it would possibly have rendered itself liable to judicial proceedings.

In line with similar cases in the past, both the complainant (PN) and the station (PBS) were informed of the postponement of the sitting.  Such notification reached both parties by 10.30a.m.

The Authority has already scheduled the hearing of this complaint for this Thursday, 19th December and both parties have been informed accordingly.