News • February 1 2004

NET news loses its head and the post

Kurt Sansone

It was the summer of 1998, political heady days for a dying Labour government, when Pierre Portelli appeared on our TV screens as a NET journalist trying to interview Dom Mintoff in the courtyard below Parliament.
Pierre Portelli went on to become the head of news at NET television but after February he will no longer occupy the post. Mr Portelli has resigned to dedicate more time to his personal company, Watermelon Media Services, which he will be running alongside his wife.
No successor has yet been appointed to fill in the politically sensitive post and contacted yesterday, PN Secretary General Joe Saliba said the party may even consider abolishing the post altogether.
"I do not have to enter into details of how Pierre’s successor will be appointed but we may even consider not keeping the post within the new structure," Mr Saliba told MaltaToday.
Last year Pierre Portelli also formed part of the core group that devised the referendum and electoral campaigns. The resignation may have come as a surprise for many outside PN headquarters and contacted by MaltaToday Mr Portelli said that it was time for him to move on.
Mr Portelli also quashed rumours making the rounds this week that he clashed with PN secretary general Joe Saliba. "I left my post to work in the private sector and I still have very good relations with Joe Saliba," Mr Portelli told MaltaToday.

kurt@newsworksltd.com