First, They Publish the Fear, Then They Sell the Solution

What follows are two news items published by The Times of Malta.

In the first, the newspaper reports on a poll it commissioned, claiming that what Maltese people fear most is not war, bombs, or missiles, but an increase in the price of everyday goods.

Then, in less than thirteen hours, the same newspaper publishes a second item: this time, a paid promotional feature offering what appears to be the answer to the very anxiety it had just highlighted.

In other words, Times of Malta appears to have turned the economic anxiety it had amplified into a commercial sales funnel. First, it publishes a poll telling readers that what frightens Maltese families most is not war but rising prices. Then, within hours, it runs a paid promotional feature for Lidl built around the language of “value.”

Whether or not this was formally coordinated is, in a sense, beside the point. The effect is the same: the newspaper helps create a climate of economic fear, then immediately monetises it through advertiser-friendly messaging.

This is not merely poor optics. It raises serious questions about the integrity of the wall intended to separate editorial judgment from commercial interests. A newspaper cannot credibly claim to inform the public while appearing, at the same time, to transform public anxiety into a marketing opportunity.