Istitut tal-Ġurnalisti Maltin

05/07/2025

📣 L-IĠM jitlob li l-PN idawwar ir-rotta fuq ir-regoli għall-midja

L-IĠM ma jaqbilx mar-regoli maħruġa mill-Kummissjoni Elettorali tal-Partit Nazzjonalista li jirregolaw ir-relazzjoni mal-midja u l-ġurnalisti, tal-kandidati prospettivi fl-elezzjoni għal kap tal-partit.

Filwaqt li l-IĠM jifhem il-bżonn li tellieqa bħal din ikollha r-regoli tagħha qatt ma jista’ jaqbel ma’ regoli li jxekklu l-ħidma tal-ġurnalisti u saħansitra jippruvaw jagħmlu sarima fuq it-tip ta’ mistoqsijiet li jistgħu jsiru.

Din mhijix tellieqa li tinteressa biss lill-membri tesserati tal-PN imma għażla li tinteressa lill-pubbliku għax il-kap eventwali se jkun kap tal-Oppożizzjoni u prim ministru prospettiv.

Il-ġurnalisti, inkluż dawk impjegati mal-midja tal-partiti ewlenin, għandhom id-dmir li jistaqsu lill-kandidati prospettivi dawk il-mistqosijiet bżonnjużi biex in-nies isiru jafu aħjar lil Adrian Delia u Alex Borg; x’jemmnu, x’direzzjoni beħsiebhom jieħdu lill-PN fiha, x’relazzjoni għandhom man-negozjanti, ma’
xulxin, ma’ esponenti oħra fis-soċjetà ċivili.

Għaldaqstant, l-IĠM joġġezzjona għall-kundizzjoni li ġurnalisti li jkunu se jintervistaw liż-żewġ kandidati ma jistgħux jagħmlu riferenza lejn il-kandidat l-ieħor. L-IĠM joġġezzjona wkoll għall-fatt li kmamar tal-aħbarijiet jistgħu jkunu esklużi milli jagħmlu intervisti jekk ma jimxux ma’ dawn ir-regoli.

L-IĠM joġġezzjona li l-aċċess għall-ġurnalisti indipendenti u oħrajn qed jingħalaq meta tibda it-tiġrija proprja għax l-uniku interventi se jsiru biss fuq il-midja tal-PN.

L-IĠM joġġezzjona għal kwalunkwe ndħil li jista’ jsir fil-mod ta’ kif il-ġurnalisti jagħmlu xogħolhom. L-IĠM jitlob lill-PN idawwar ir-rotta fuq dawn ir-regoli u minflok joħloq qafas li jinkoraġġixxi d-dibattitu u l-iskambju ħieles tal-ideat billi jagħmilha iktar faċli għall-ġurnalisti li jagħmlu xogħolhom.

Ritratt: Partit Nazzjonalista/Facebook

26/06/2025

📣 IĠM, MSJA condemn personal attack, bullying on journalists

The IĠM has received a complaint from four sports journalists concerning the recent behaviour of the president of the Malta Football Association regarding a report on the association’s volunteer programme for sports photographers.

The IĠM and MSJA have seen the right of reply by the MFA, in English and in Maltese, to the news outlet Malta Sport as well as a letter sent to AiMS Chairman Antonio Mizzi complaining about the behaviour of two of its employees and a private text message sent by MFA President Bjorn Vassallo to
one of the complainants.

While any entity is free to publish a right of reply to correct any mistakes in reporting, a right of reply is not a space to attack or bully journalists. This applies to all categories of journalism.

The IĠM and MSJA condemn the tone used in the Maltese version of the right of reply against three of the complainants, especially given that they only expressed their opinion on social media and did not contribute to the reportage.

The IĠM and MSJA also condemn the MFA President’s text message sent privately to one of the four complainants, which ends with an inappropriate “Rest in peace” (“Strieħ fil-paċi”). This, coupled with the MFA President’s letter to AiMS about two of the complainants, who are also employed with the
authority, can be considered an attempt to personally intimidate the complainants for expressing an opinion online.

The IĠM and MSJA hope that the MFA will retract the part of the right of reply that singles out the complainants and be more responsible in the future when responding to criticism.

08/05/2025

IĠM's role is changing. This is what we want to accomplish.

Read our opinion piece through the links below:

ToM: bit.ly/3F1VRZZ
TMI: bit.ly/4kdRfPA
MT: bit.ly/4iYh0SN

27/02/2025

During Wednesday’s arraignment in connection to the Ħal Safi drugs heist, journalists and camerapersons were filmed, threatened and followed while carrying out their work duties outside the Law Courts.

The IĠM is aware of an incident where two journalists and a cameraman were filmed and threatened by the relatives of those accused. In another incident, the same relatives followed a journalist and hurled insults at them as they were leaving the court building.

The IĠM condemns the incidents and shows solidarity with the journalists affected. This reminds us all of the real dangers faced by journalists in their line of duty.

While the IĠM would like to thank the police for their prompt response to the threats, and for taking measures to ensure that the journalists on site were protected during and after the hearing, the IĠM also urges the police to take criminal action against the aggressors.

14/02/2025

📣 IĠM becomes a trade union

After receiving the final approval from the DIER, the Institute of Maltese Journalists is now a registered union.

The IĠM submitted its application to become a union shortly after the AGM 2024, where a vote was taken in favour of this transition. The final approval was received last week.

While the IĠM will continue to advocate for press freedom and professional standards in journalism, it will now take on the important role of regulating the relationship between media professionals and their employers.

The IĠM looks forward to embarking on this journey with its members. It would also like to thank all those members, current and former, who have contributed to this process in some way or another.

29/01/2025

L-IĠM jinsab iddisgustat bil-pożizzjoni li ħa l-gvern illum fejn oppona mozzjoni mressqa mill-Oppożizzjoni għal tisħiħ tal-Avviż Legali anti-SLAPP li ddaħħal is-sena li għaddiet.

Sfortunatament, illejla l-Ministru tal-Ġustizzja Jonathan Att**d u esponenti oħra tal-gvern ma kienux interessati jitkellmu dwar protezzjoni iktar b’saħħitha għall-ġurnalisti. Pjuttost kienu iktar interessati jitkellmu kif se jżidu d-danni tal-libell ċivili.

Il-proposta tal-gvern illejla kienet li se jimpenja ruħu għal iktar konsultazzjoni – impenn li ilu jwiegħed sa minn Ottubru tal-2023 meta qal li se jippubblika White Paper dwar ir-riformi proposti mill-Kumitat tal-Esperti mwaqqaf mill-gvern stess.

Sfortunatament, lanqas fl-impenn li ħa llejla l-gvern ma ta indikazzjoni meta se tkun ippubblikata l-White Paper. It-titubar tal-gvern mhuwix aċċettabbli u jeħtieġ li mill-kliem fieragħ jgħaddi għall-fatti.

29/01/2025

L-IĠM b’appell lill-membri parliamentari biex jivvutaw favur emendi li jsaħħu l-liġi kontra l-iSLAPP

Fid-dawl tad-dibattitu li se jsir fil-parlament iktar t**d illum, l-IĠM jappella lill-membri parlamentari biex japprovaw l-emendi mressqa mill-Oppożizzjoni għall-avviż legali li daħħal fis-seħħ id-direttiva Ewropea kontra l-iSLAPP.
L-emendi tal-Oppżizzjoni għandhom il-ħsieb li jwessgħu l-protezzjoni għall-ġurnalisti u persuni oħra biex jinkludu wkoll kawżi SLAPP li jsiru fil-qrati Maltin.

Bħalissa l-avviż legali jipproteġi biss kontra kawżi SLAPP li jsiru fi qrati barranin u li għandhom xejra transfruntiera.

L-IĠM jemmen li hu kruċjali li l-protezzjoni kontra kawżi SLAPP tinkludi wkoll kawżi li jsiru fil-qrati Maltin.

L-emendi tal-Oppożizzjoni għandhom il-ħsieb ukoll biex jgħollu l-penali li tista’ timponi l-qorti fuq min jiftaħ kawża SLAPP għal mhux inqas minn €10,000 u mhux iktar minn € 100,000 mil-limitu eżistenti ta’ mhux aktar minn €10,000.

L-IĠM jaqbel ma’ din il-proposta għax intiża biex verament toħloq deterrent lil min irid jagħmel kawża SLAPP.

L-IĠM ifakkar li l-avviż legali anti-SLAPP li daħħal il-gvern is-sena li għaddiet jipprovdi l-minimu rikjest mill-Unjoni Ewropea u għalhekk jeħtieġ li jissaħħaħ iktar. Iż-żewġ emendi mressqa mill-Oppożizzjoni huma pass ieħor fid-direzzjoni t-tajba.

L-IĠM ifakkar ukoll fil-wegħda tal-gvern li joħroġ White Paper għal konsultazzjoni fuq diversi riformi oħra apparti l-iSLAPP, intiżi biex isaħħu l-protezzjoni tal-ġurnalisti u joħolqu ambjent xieraq għal ġurnaliżmu ħieles. Ir-riformi li hemm bżonn isiru jinkludu bidliet fil-Kostituzzjoni, fil-Liġi tal-Midja u l-Malafama, fil-Kodiċi Kriminali u liġijiet oħra.

Madankollu, minkejja li l-wegħda tal-gvern saret f’Ottubru tal-2023, b’dispjaċir ninnutaw li sal-lum din il-White Paper ma ratx id-dawl tax-xemx.

L- IĠM se tkun il-Parlament biex issegwi d-dibattitu, fl-aħjar interess tas-settur li tirrapprezenta.

🇬🇧

IGM appeals to members of parliament to vote in favour of amendments that strengthen anti-SLAPP legislation

In view of the debate to be held in parliament this afternoon, the IGM appeals to members of parliament to vote in favour of amendments proposed by the Opposition to the legal notice that introduced the EU anti-SLAPP directive.

The Opposition’s amendments are intended to widen the protection for journalists and other persons to include SLAPP cases instituted in Malta.

The current legal notice only offers protection from SLAPP cases instituted in foreign courts and are of a transnational nature.

IGM believes it is crucial that protection from SLAPP cases also includes cases instituted in Maltese courts.

The Opposition’s amendments also aim to increase the penalties a court can impose on the party that initiates a SLAPP case to not less than €10,000 and not more than €100,000 from the current limit of not more than €10,000.

IGM agrees with this proposal because its aim is to truly create a deterrent for those who want to initiate a SLAPP case.

The IGM underscores that the anti-SLAPP legal notice enacted by the government last year provides for the minimum required by the EU directive, which is why it has to be strengthened further. The two amendments put forward by the Opposition are another step in the right direction.

The IGM recalls the promise made by the government to issue a White Paper for consultation on other reforms apart from SLAPP, intended to strengthen the protection of journalists and create an enabling environment for unshackled journalism. The reforms needed include changes to the Constitution, the Media and Defamation Act, the Criminal Code and other laws.

Nonetheless, despite the government promsing the White Paper in October 2023, we note with regret that it has yet to see the light of day.
IGM will be present in Parliament to follow the debate, in the best interest of the sector it represents.

06/12/2024

The IĠM condemns an incident last Monday whereby a journalist was blocked and aggressively shoved to the side by Nationalist Party entourage and a
protest-goer while trying to take comments from the party’s leader and MPs.

This is the second such incident raised to the IĠM’s attention over the past weeks. At no point has the Nationalist Party condemned these incidents in
public.

The IĠM urges political parties to take responsibility for the actions of the people that gravitate around their officials and representatives and call out any
wrongdoing. These incidents should not be tolerated. Political parties should ensure journalists are able to perform their duties without harassment.

The IĠM understands that a police report has been filed on the matter. In this regard, the IĠM also urges police to act on the report.

The IĠM shows solidarity with the ONE journalist affected and all journalists who face bullying tactics while on the job.

02/12/2024

🏆 The full results of the Malta Journalism Awards can be found below, together with the speech of IĠM President Matthew Xuereb

https://igm.mt/2024/12/02/mja32-complete-results/

https://igm.mt/2024/12/02/mja32-diskors-mill-president-tal-igm-matthew-xuereb/

December 2, 2024 Matthew Xuereb Uncategorized MJA32 – Complete results Premju għall-Ġurnaliżmu dwar il-Kummerċ: 1st: Jacob Borg, Times of Malta 2nd: James Cummings, Times of Malta 3rd: Neville Borg, Times of Malta Premju għall-Ġurnaliżmu dwar il-Kriminalità u l-Affarijiet Legali huma: 1st:...

02/12/2024

A big thank you to everyone who attended the Malta Journalism Awards on Saturday, and congratulations to all those who snapped up an award on the night 🌟

A full list of the results will be uploaded to our website shortly.

30/11/2024

🏆 The 32nd edition of the Malta Journalism Awards is happening tonight! We're looking forward to celebrating a years' worth of journalistic excellence with all our members. Good luck to all the nominees!

04/11/2024

🏆

A quick reminder to all eligible journalists and editors that the deadline to submit your nominations for this years' Malta Journalism Awards is midday on Friday 8th November.

The submissions form can be found on our website. To read more on the rules and regulations, please refer to our press releases on the same website.

Reach out to any of the IĠM Council members if you're struggling with your application.