BA issues new restrictive guidelines

As Lawrence Gonzi and Joseph Muscat prepared for tonight’s live debate on Xarabank, the Broadcasting Authority this week issued restrictive guidelines to ensure fairness and impartiality. Moderators are not permitted to engage in discussions and must stick to asking fair and topical questions: an equal number to each speaker. “It is not the role of a moderator to comment on the interventions or replies of the participants but to ask about facts that emerge from the questions that are made fairly to each participant,” the Broadcasting Authority has said.  The moderator should also discourage interruptions to ensure that viewers can follow exactly what is being said by the speakers. Live audiences are also being asked to restrain themselves. According to the guidelines issued by the Broadcasting Authority on Wednesday, audiences should be divided equally between the parties. Clapping or other interruptions will not be allowed except in the beginning or end of the programmes. Televoting on who won the debate is also prohibited. The directives may be read in the pdf link below.