That politicians and their media machines attack journalists unfairly and without any sense of decency is commonplace in Malta. I should know. But that a self-proclaimed “independent” journalist follows suit, adds a sinister twist to an already perverted media scene. That the journalist conducting such an attack on a fellow journalist also happens to be the Chairperson of the Journalists’ Committee scrapes the bottom of the barrel.

I am talking about your journalist Karl Schembri and his front page story concerning the planned Bondiplus edition on Alfred Sant’s budget speech, an edition that was aborted by the Broadcasting Authority (21 October). In it he makes a series of untrue statements, violates basic journalistic practices and gives a completely distorted picture of what really happened.

Let us start with all the facts that Karl Schembri got so abysmally wrong. First, he claims that I invited an MLP representative on the Friday before the programme. This is a barefaced lie. Not only had I invited Charles Mangion to represent the MLP on the programme earlier in the week but he had accepted the invitation immediately. In addition, on Friday, I contacted Jason Micallef to invite Alfred Sant to come on the programme right after his speech as well. How did Karl Schembri get his facts so wrong? He had the option to check with me but he did not. Why?

Secondly, your journalist claims that the Broadcasting Authority attempted to stop the programme because the subject was changed at the eleventh hour. Wrong again. The BA stipulates that programme topics can be changed 24 hours before they go on air. PBS informed the BA three days ahead of time. Incidentally, the BA is quite cavalier about violating its own rule when it suits its purposes. On Monday, a few hours before Bondiplus, the BA approved a change in topic – without knowing the guests and the content. What a farce the BA has become.

Indeed, even the BA’s 24 hour cut-off rule is ridiculous. Imagine if an election is called on a Monday morning. What should I discuss that evening on Bondiplus? Global warming? These are the bread and butter issues that real journalists should be fighting for in this country. But alas, Karl Schembri prefers to wade in the mire of provincial politics instead.

Thirdly, your journalist quotes the MLP secretary general’s opinion that I was somehow responsible for the PBS “earning” a suspended fine of Lm2,000 because the BA was informed late about a change of topic in Bondiplus the previous week. This is yet another barefaced lie. I had informed PBS of the change of topic in plenty of time. Unfortunately, due to an administrative error on the part of PBS they failed to inform the BA in time. I had absolutely nothing to do with this error. This fact was public, yet your “independent” journalist Karl Schembri failed to say so clearly and unequivocally. Why? What was his agenda?

Fourth, Karl Schembri quotes the MLP secretary general saying that the proposed Bondiplus analysing Alfred Sant’s budget speech would have violated the law as it would have given government the facility to respond Alfred Sant’s speech. This should make it to the Guinness Book of Records as the most perverse interpretation of the Broadcasting Act. Charles Mangion had already confirmed his participation on the programme and Alfred Sant was invited to come as well. So what law would have been violated? What planet was your journalist on? Why didn’t he check with me?

As an aside, Karl Schembri’s analytical skills must have been dormant when he wrote the story. Didn’t he find it rather odd that the MLP was objecting so vociferously to a whole Bondiplus on their own Leader’s speech?

Fifth, your journalist quotes Dominic Fenech, PBS’s Acting Editorial Board Chairman. Earlier this year this man wanted to take Bondiplus off-air permanently. I will let your readers decide why Fenech is now doing everything possible to prevent me from doing the job I have been doing on PBS for 15 years. And of course, I will also let your readers decide why Karl Schembri never mentions that Dominic Fenech wanted to substitute Bondiplus with programmes presented by journalists from the MaltaToday stable. Enough said.

Sixth, in a story that started on your front page and occupies an entire one inside, your intrepid journalist mysteriously omits the most fundamental fact. On Saturday, the BA wrote to PBS saying that because the MLP had withdrawn from Bondiplus, the programme should be banned. In other words, with the BA’s bizarre logic, any party or anybody who becomes the subject of a current affairs programme can prevent it from being aired by simply not turning up. This decision not only goes against what the Broadcasting Act says but was taken without the BA board’s consent. This is the stuff banana republics are made of. Your journalist either missed this central fact or, much worse, suppressed it. I would prefer to think that he is incompetent rather than malicious.

Finally, as Chairperson of the Journalists’ Committee, your journalist has issued countless press releases accusing politicians of attacks on journalists. Yet in this case not only does he fail to do so, but takes the side of the political party executing the attack. I am once again reassured in my conviction that the Journalists’ Committee is a total joke.

In view of Schembri’s post in the Journalists’ Committee, this letter is being copied as a press release to all the editors and journalists in Malta.

This letter is being sent according to all applicable laws.

Lou Bondì
Director, Where’s Everybody?

Editorial note: Mr Bondì asserts: “I will also let your readers decide why Karl Schembri never mentions that Dominic Fenech wanted to substitute Bondiplus with programmes presented by journalists from the MaltaToday stable.”

This is news to us; the editor (Saviour Balzan) has no working or other relationship with Dr Fenech. He has not exchanged any emails, words, nods or handshakes with Dr Fenech in the last three years. On the contrary, the editor has been perhaps the only person to have openly criticised Dr Fenech.

Mr Bondì’s insinuation that Karl Schembri as a MaltaToday journalist was instigated to write this news story on this premise is a lie.

Mr Schembri is only involved with print journalism and no one, not Mr Schembri, not the editor or any other person at MediaToday knows what was being discussed and/or decided at PBS.

More interestingly it would be curious to know how Mr Bondì gets to know every detail about PBS and more importantly why his programme which he says was to be replaced by one of our programmes, was in fact retained.