As part of its 90th anniversary celebrations, Times of Malta brought today’s reporters face-to-face with some of the most well-known former editors and journalists, as they discussed stories, compared eras, and shared advice for the next generation in a fast-paced news environment.
In a video series, the conversations range from the dramatic to the light-hearted.
Victor Aquilina recalls joining the paper just months before Malta’s independence, and his first-hand account of Black Monday in 1979, when Strickland House was set ablaze.
Laurence Grech remembers watching the Times building burn moments after leaving an assignment, while former editor Ray Bugeja describes the surreal days working among the wreckage.
Ariadne Massa recounted the story covering the surreal discovery of the “shoebox baby” 25 years ago.
Steve Mallia reflected on starting his career in journalism as Dom Mintoff was bringing down the government in 1998. Vanessa Macdonald, who led both the news and business desks, spoke about her experience co-hosting Times Talk.
The interviews paired newsroom generations: Victor Aquilina, now 83, with Marc Galdes, aged 24; Ariadne Massa with Emma Borg; Vanessa Macdonald with Giulia Magri; Steve Mallia with Neville Borg, Ray Bugeja with James Cummings and Laurence Grech with Daniel Ellul.
From tales of resilience to newsroom anecdotes, these conversations not only celebrated the news organisation’s legacy but also sparked a conversation about the future of journalism in an ever-evolving landscape.
More interviews with past and present newsroom members will follow.