VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has been classified as a high-risk country for media pluralism and media freedom, ranking second only to Hungary in the latest Media Pluralism Monitor.
The EU-funded Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom raised Malta’s overall risk score by five percentage points to 71%, behind Hungary’s 75%.
The report attributed the decline to a lack of transparency in media ownership and growing commercial pressure on editorial independence.
Malta was rated at very high risk in the protection of the right to information, political independence of the media, editorial autonomy and transparency of media ownership.
High-risk areas also included election information integrity and the independence of national media regulators.
The report said Malta and Hungary were the EU’s worst-performing countries in ensuring fair political information during elections and monitoring political advertising.
It cited repeated refusals of Freedom of Information requests, including the government’s decision not to release ministers’ asset declarations, and noted proposals to abolish the declarations altogether.
The monitor also highlighted persistent political influence through media ownership and said regulatory bodies lacked sufficient powers and resources.
Although Malta is preparing new rules on media ownership transparency, the report said its legal framework still falls short of new EU standards.
It also criticised Malta’s limited action against disinformation and foreign information manipulation, while highlighting recent bogus copyright claims targeting investigative journalism.
– Photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
