I hardly watch the news on MBC because of the unbalanced way it is broadcasted day in day out. On Saturday the 17th of March and Monday the 19th of March 2012, I did and much to my chagrin afterwards. I decided otherwise because of recent political events.

By its own poor standards, it surpassed itself on both nights. For the first 20 minutes of the news on the Monday except for a brief speech by the president of the republic, it paraded a quartet of ministers so that they could express their indignation and their exasperation at the contents of the president’s speech.

They had every right to voice their point of view just like the president did. I am not concerned about the contents of what anybody said and who was right and who was wrong. I am more concerned about the bias shown by the MBC. At no time was any attempt made to give a balanced view of the main news of the day. Members of the opposition and the general public could have been sought for their opinion on the matter during that particular programme or even on the next day to give some semblance of impartiality. There again, I am not surprised because its bias is legendary, it occurs repeatedly and it does not seem to give a fig what anybody else thinks.

Just to prove my point further, on the previous Saturday, the prime minister gave a press conference which was shown live on television and for good measure, the MBC gave extracts on the main news and it was repeated in full immediately after. This is not just coverage but saturation. Yet on the same day, the leader of the opposition gave a press conference and only brief extracts were shown on the news.

How can we as voters be expected to listen, dissect and assimilate the various political points of views if we can hear only “un son de cloche”? It will be good if the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) could advise the general public as to the obligations of the MBC towards the public who contribute in hard cash for its administration.

If the objectives of the MBC are to “inform, educate and entertain”, it certainly failed but perhaps we were entertained by hearing the politicians who were full of sound bites but very short on substance.

Now I would like to quote only two of the IBA’s objectives, the first is to promote diversity, wider choice in the field of broadcasting through the settings of standards for the delivery of a high quality service. The second reads as follows, the independence of the Authority remains the sine qua non condition for achieving its statutory objectives and ensuring the interests of the viewers are preserved. Perhaps the IBA could take time out to peruse at the words underlined and equate them with the current service provided by the MBC.

In Mauritius, politicians talk garbage frequently and usually promise electors the earth. One of their promises is the advent of equal opportunities. If they mean it, let it not be just paper talk, let us apply it and see it in action. Only then, we will believe that we all have equal opportunities, let the IBA start with the MBC and compel them to provide reasonable air time to one and all and prove that it is a bulldog with TEETH. “Sinon arête rever camarade” to quote my good friend.