Search results : 80

The Authority has clarified that paragraph 13 of the Third Schedule to the Broadcasting Act applies to programmes and not to broadcasts aired during a given clock hour. Paragraph 13 provides that a period of 20 minutes has to elapse between each successive advertising break within a programme which is interrupted by advertising and teleshopping spots. The Authority has held that in the case of programmes which are of less than 20 minutes in duration (“short programmes”), it is permissible to have adverts at the beginning and/or at the end of the short programmes, even if 20 minutes have not elapsed...

On 30 June 2008, the Broadcasting Authority issued a consultation document on media concentration. The closing date was 31 July 2008 and the Authority is considering the various submissions it has received. Media concentration in the Broadcasting Act is currently regulated by article 10(6), which provides that the Government of Malta may own broadcasting services only through the public service broadcaster. However, no limit is established by law as to the number of broadcasting stations the public service broadcaster may own. On the other hand, a private company may own, control or be editorially...

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI) adopted its third report on Malta on 14 December 2007. This Report was released in Malta on 26 April 2008 by means of Government of Malta Department of Information Press Release No 577e. Although the Report discusses various issues regarding racism and intolerance, of particular relevance to IRIS readers is that part dealing with broadcast media, which reads as follows: “86. As regards the broadcast media, ECRI welcomes the adoption by the Maltese authorities in April 2007 of requirements as to standards and...

In March 2006, Ernst & Young Limited submitted a report to the Media Desk within the EU Affairs Directorate of the then Ministry for Tourism and Culture, which consisted of an analysis of focus group discussions on quality programming. The report lists a number of themes, which participants mentioned as being essential for good quality programming. The comments of participants are summarised under each theme. Based on this report, the Broadcasting Authority drew up a set of draft Guidelines for good quality programming and issued this draft for public consultation purposes in April 2008. Essentially...

Via a judgment delivered by the Court of Magistrates (Malta) as a Court of Criminal Judicature on 27 March 2008, Mr. Norman Lowell was found guilty of incitement to racial hatred. Less than three weeks before the delivery of this judgment, the Broadcasting Authority had withheld the broadcast of a five minute talk on the public service broadcaster, Television Malta, by Mr. Norman Lowell, who stood as an independent candidate for the general elections held in Malta on Saturday 8 March 2008. Mr. Lowell’s broadcast was prohibited from being aired due to the fact that it was considered by the broadcasting...