On the occasion of the 59th anniversary since the setting up of the Broadcasting Authority, the Chairman of the Authority, Mr Fank V. Farrugia together with the Chief Executive, Dr Joanna Spiteri and Board Members met the Archbishop Charles Jude Scicluna during a cordial meeting held on 15th October 2020, at the Curia in Floriana.
During the meeting they talked about the situation of the stations and broadcasting and about the role of the regulator in a society where the media is constantly developing. It was emphasized that the Broadcasting Authority is there to protect the public interest, media consumers and the protection of minors and the vulnerable. Therefore, despite regulating the media, the Authority has a responsibility to see that the media is providing good quality programming notwithstanding the criticism it receives that it not moving with the times.
The Archbishop also spoke about the need for better quality in local broadcasting, in general as well as about the difficulties brought about by the pandemic for the media since advertising on which media organisations depend has decreased. Despite the current situation, the Church continued to provide daily mass service and for this the Archbishop thanked in particular the public service broadcasting for the cooperation and support he found so that Mass reaches the homes and thus the Church continues to be of service and support to the people.