Glenn slips briefly off the gravy train to engage in local battles

The Times, Thursday, 8 January 2009

Bedingfield says still awaiting justice from broadcasting watchdog

Labour MEP Glenn Bedingfield has complained with the Broadcasting Authority that justice had still not been done with regard to his claims that he had been censored by the PBS editorial board. In a letter to the broadcasting watchdog, Mr Bedingfield yesterday said he expected its protection in the matter, adding that, as a representative of the people in the European Parliament, he should be free to voice his opinions on the state station, as would any other MP.

Last month, Mr Bedingfield recorded an interview that should have appeared on TVM’s programme Reporter. However, PBS decided not to air the interview because it wanted to ensure that all current and prospective MEPs were given equal treatment when it came to air time on its programmes.

Since Mr Bedingfield was an MEP and a candidate for the forthcoming elections, PBS had informed the producer of Reporter, a week before the interview, that he could not interview Mr Bedingfield, PBS had said. PBS said it was not its fault that the independent producer had forged ahead with the interview, adding that Mr Bedingfield was incorrect to say he was being censored.

Mr Bedingfield is maintaining that the reason behind the decision was to “keep his mouth shut”. He pointed out that neither of the two major political parties had drawn up their official lists of candidates for the upcoming MEP elections yet, which made PBS’s decision for stopping the airing of the interview “nonsense”.