Hearing begins in PN’s case to secure balanced and free public broadcasting for the people
The hearing began today in the constitutional case brought by the Partit Nazzjonalista against Public Broadcasting Services and the Broadcasting Authority over the imbalance in public broadcasting and the failure to enforce impartiality obligations.
The hearing began today in the constitutional case brought by the Partit Nazzjonalista against Public Broadcasting Services and the Broadcasting Authority over the imbalance in public broadcasting and the failure to enforce impartiality obligations.
This is not just a battle for the Partit Nazzjonalista, but for every citizen’s right to fair, balanced and impartial public broadcasting. Figures provided in Parliament by the Government itself show that, between June 2025 and May 2026, PBS news bulletins broadcast 532 ‘sound-on-tape’ clips featuring the Prime Minister and members of the Government, compared with just 66 featuring the Leader of the Opposition, members of the Opposition and representatives of the Partit Nazzjonalista.
The obligation of impartiality does not apply solely to content. The law also provides that presenters and reporters working on news and current affairs programmes on public broadcasting must be seen to be impartial, including in their activities outside broadcasting. PBS must therefore ensure that impartiality standards are upheld in every aspect of public broadcasting.
PBS does not belong to the government of the day. It is the public broadcaster for all Maltese and Gozitans. The Partit Nazzjonalista will continue to use every means available to it under the law to defend the people’s right to comprehensive, fair and balanced information.
This case, signed by lawyers Michael Piccinino, David Bonello and Thomas De Martino, has one aim: to ensure that public broadcasting truly belongs to all of us once again.
15.10.2026