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The Malta Film Commission (MFC), set up in 1999 under the auspices of the Ministry for Economic services was officially launched on 3 February 2000. Winston Azzopardi, nominated last year, has now been appointed Film Commissioner. MFC defines itself as a non-profit making organisation offering its services free of charge to foreign film and television productions. As well as helping to raise awareness of Malta as a film location, it also serves to facilitate and assist film crews before and during their stay on the island, by dealing with issues ranging from permits to organising hotels accommodation...

The debate over data transmission services via cable network has entered a new phase. As was previously reported (IRIS 1999-8: 16), Malta's ISPs voiced their opposition to Internet access being offered directly through the island's network of cable providers. The conflict reached a brief climax when local ISPs, in a press release of 4 October 1999, announced a boycott of Melita Cable's network with immediate effect. Citing previous efforts to "spur the Telecom Regulator, the Government and Melita Cable to [...] enforce Open Access to guarantee that the Internet in Malta remains a fully functional,...

In a recent press release Melita Cable plc., the island's only network operator, announced that it would be offering Internet access directly via cable as from September this year. In a letter to the telecommunications regulator, local ISPs claim that the terms and conditions contained in Melita Cable's license prevent it from offering Internet services. The terms of the 1990 license allow Melita Cable to provide «data transmission services». Local ISPs claim that each type of service requires a different type of licence. A licence to provide cable TV services could not be interpreted in such...

The government has launched two measures intended to boost the local film industry, namely the setting up of the Film Fund and the Film Commission. (1) Backed financially by the government and banks, the Film Fund's objective is to produce and market films and audio-visual products. At present the fund will aim at low-budget films for television. The fund exists in the form of Maltese Falcon Productions plc, the island's first homegrown production company. As a result of this development, the company recently signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with Allegro films Inc., a subsidiary of...

On 23 September 1997 representatives of the Government of Canada and the Republic of Malta signed an agreement on audiovisual co-productions. The agreement applies to all films produced by independent producers for exploitation in cinemas, on television, videocassette or by any other form of distribution, whether now known or to become known and irrespective of the film genre (feature film, animation or documentary), the length and the format. Under Article 3(1) of the agreement, the proportion of the co-producers’ respective contributions to a co-produced film may vary between 20 % and 80 %...