Last night’s Inkontri, presented by Joe Grima on One TV, was a classic example of our inability to debate controversial topics without the discussion turning into a chaotic shouting match.

I suppose it was to be expected: the subject was PBS, and the guests included a veritable line-up of quick-tempered men: Peppi Azzopardi, Godfrey Grima, Gino Cauchi and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando with two other more mild-mannered guests who tried valiantly to get a word in edgewise, namely Anton Attard and Frans Ghirxi.

We had Godfrey pounding on the table, and an enraged Peppi looking like he was going to pop a blood vessel, while the volatile Jeffrey stole the limelight once again by taking the opportunity to lash out at Lou Bondi, claiming that not only was he not an asset to the PN but he was actually causing irreparable harm to the party’s chances of being re-elected.

The programme was so piping hot that it was even reported there and then on the timesofmalta.com breaking news. For Malta Today‘s report on the programme read here.

When the host Joe Grima threatened to walk off the set because no one was listening to him, it was clear that he had completely lost control of the programme (he was not even able to keep his own brother in check).  This, ladies and gentleman, is what our television talk shows have been reduced to.

The irony of the players was also too rich.

Here is a programme on a political party station, which only exists because a Nationalist government introduced pluralism. It is presented by a former Labour minister and former chief executive of the Broadcasting Authority  (who flirted briefly with Net TV) asking questions about whether PBS is fulfilling its role to maintain objectivity and political balance. At least Joe had the decency to bring up the Labour stranglehold over PBS in the 80s and not simply sweep it under the carpet.

And here we are again on the same familiar territory, only this time it is the Nationalist party which is being accused of completely monopolising PBS.

The guests included people who have worn so many hats, and have been involved in so many roles, that I do not even know where to start.

The crux of the programme was this:  the TV production company Where’s Everybody (which also offers marketing and PR consultancy as one of its services) is claiming to be under attack and under siege by the Labour party because their current afffairs programmes on PBS are successful and One TV is a direct competitor.

The Labour party, meanwhile, is accusing Where’s Everybody (and the PN) of having ‘taken over’ national broadcasting.

What the taxpayers who fund PBS want to know is, when we see Lou Bondi and Peppi Azzopardi conducting programmes on issues of national importance, which hats are they wearing? Whose interests are they representing? There have been too many significant revelations recently for us to simply shrug and say, ‘everyone has their political opinion’. Of course, that goes without saying. But the line between PR and journalism has definitely been crossed somewhere along the line, and once you cross it you lose your credibility. Punto e basta.

When you are producing a TV programme as a broadcast journalist you are supposed to check your bias at the door.  No matter what your personal beliefs are, you need to be professional enough to keep them at bay and treat all your guests with equal courtesy and use the same manner of questioning. That’s all – it’s quite simple really.  For a more thorough analysis of this please read Claire Bonello’s article in The Sunday Times.

Instead, we have often had presenters who end up arguing with their guests, until the programme becomes about the presenter rather than the topic or the interviewee.  Apart from being unprofessional it has also been the downfall of TV discussion programmes, which are being reduced to who has the strongest pair of lungs.

I have often told Peppi Azzopardi that, despite its popularity, Xarabank is doing a disservice to the country because people now think it’s perfectly acceptable to shout and wave your hand in people’s faces  instead of arguing their point in a civilised manner.

So last night, while watching Peppi jumping around in his seat trying to have his say and being drowned out by people with even more booming voices than his, all I could think of was…sorry Peppi, but you have no one to blame but yourself.