PRESS RELEASES
Issued by The Malta Press Club 

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM)

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) was founded as The Malta Press Club on 3 November, 1989, following a suggestion by Joseph Brockdorff, chairman of BPC International Limited, a public relations and advertising company, who approached the editors of the local media and offered his help in the setting up of an association grouping together media practitioners.

Previous attempts to set up a journalists’ association all failed after a few months, partisan political reasons almost inevitably contributed towards their downfall.

The founding members of The Malta Press Club are: Anthony Montanaro, deceased (The Sunday Times), Charles Grech Orr (The Times), Evarist Bartolo (Il-Helsien), Felix Agius (l-orizzont), Joe A. Vella (Malta News), Mario Schiavone (in-Nazzjon), Joe Cassar (Il-Mument), Manwel Zammit (Broadcasting Malta – the precursor of PBS Ltd) and Carmel Bonello of BPC.

For the first 12 years The Malta Press Club was supported almost entirely by BPC, providing it with its premises and other financial and logistical support. Five years ago BPC decided that, once its objective of seeing a press club thriving had been achieved, it felt there was no longer a need for its 100% support and, consequently, terminated its official association with the IGM although it still enjoys retains excellent relations with the IGM.

Fortunately, The Malta Press Club prevailed this time and it has made great progress over the past 17 years. The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM), as the former Press Club is known today, is officially recognised by the government and all other Maltese institutions, including the Judiciary, the Roman Catholic Church and the Commissioner of Police.

The name change to the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) took place in 2004 because it was felt that the Press Club’s role had changed over the years, and also to enable it to join the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) as full members.

The objective of the Institute of Maltese Journalists is to:

• provide an effective, efficient means for journalists, grouped within it, to work jointly for the development of journalism and to strengthen friendly relations and co-operation;

• provide the facilities and professional and personal services necessary for journalists to make use of every opportunity to improve their abilities and qualifications in sharing mutual experiences;

• implement measures to ensure self-regulation and self-discipline while promoting the highest moral values at all times in the carrying out of members’ professional responsibilities, always conscious of the fact that information and communication play a significant part in the personal development of each individual citizen and in the evolution of society and democracy;

• work for the journalistic profession to raise professional and educational standards, and acquire the recognition and respect it deserves, primarily as a public service, and

• protect the fundamental right to freedom of information and freedom of expression.

In order to put all this into action, one of the first decisions of the IGM was the drafting of a five-year-plan based on three objectives, namely: education, ethics and professionalisation. Progress was registered on all fronts and today the IGM works relentlessly to build on the progress achieved so far.

Over the years the IGM established contacts with other press organisations abroad. Apart from being a full member of the IFJ and the EFJ, it is a founder member of the Alliance of Independent Press Clubs of Europe, and a member of the Federation of European Press Clubs, the Federation of Mediterranean Journalists and the Washington Press Association.

One of the first activities of the IGM was the enactment of a Code of Journalistic Ethics and the setting up of a Press Ethics Commission (PEC) to deal with complaints against journalists arising from this Code. The current chairman of the PEC is Professor Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici, Chief Justice Emeritus and ex-member of the European Court of Human Rights.

The IGM considers as its greatest achievement the changes made to the Malta Press Act. As a result of its talks with Government officials, changes were enacted to the Press Act, which today incorporates the Confidentiality of the Source, Qualified Privilege, the Right for Information and the Right of Reply.

Another important decision was the setting up of the Tumas Fenech Foundation for the Education of Journalists (FTFEG), which is made up of representatives of the Tumas Group, a leading family-owned group of companies, and officials of the IGM. This was set up as a living memory to the late Tumas Fenech, a leading entrepreneur. Its objective is to improve the level of journalism in Malta.

The FTFEG helps finance seminars/lectures and other journalistic activities organised in conjunction with the IGM, on the recommendation of the Board of Studies, which is made up of senior journalists. The IGM also works closely with the Strickland Foundation, which is the major shareholder of Allied Newspapers, a leading publishing house on the island.

The highlight of the IGM’s activities are the Malta Journalism Awards, which are held annually to encourage and give recognition to work carried out by journalists in various categories, in the print, broadcasting and electronic media. These awards are sponsored by leading Maltese companies/corporations, namely: HSBC, Vodafone, Emirates, Melita Digital, SmartCity, the Malta Broadcasting Authority, the Farsons Foundation, Malta International Airport, the Malta Tourism Authority, BPC International and the FTFEG.

The Council of the IGM is made up of: Chairman: Malcolm J. Naudi; Deputy Chairman: Julia Farrugia, Hon. Secretary: Joe A. Vella; Deputy Secretary-General: Charlot Zahra, Hon. Treasurer: Mario Schiavone; Deputy Treasurer and Malta Youth Press representative: Keith Demicoli, Liaison Media: Marion Zammit, and Member: Brandon Pisani.

Joe A. Vella