Redefining the role of public broadcasting - Minister Louis Galea launches new initiative

Minister Louis Galea has initiated an exercise with the intention of exploring options for reviewing the role of public broadcasting. As part of this exercise, the Ministry of Education has commissioned the University of Malta's Centre for Communication Technology to co-ordinate a study entitled "Redefining the role of Public Broadcasting". The first step of this exercise includes a weeklong series of activities, to be held between the 11th and 15th January, aimed at structured brainstorming in the form of workshop sessions and a National Conference.

Nearly eight years have passed since the Broadcasting Act 1991 made a paradigm shift which radically changed the face of broadcasting in Malta. Although pluralism has brought many improvements to the local broadcasting scene, it has also, as in other countries, brought into question the proper role of public broadcasting. The latter has been the subject of much public controversy, especially with regard to the quality of news reports and current affairs programmes. Moreover, developments in technology such as digital broadcasting, multi-media approaches, technology convergence and the Internet may mean that present structures are not well suited to serve the public interest in tomorrow's world. These are some of the reasons why it should be clear that the time has come to review the role of public broadcasting.

As announced in Parliament during the discussion on the budget estimates for the Ministry of Education, Minister Louis Galea has initiated an exercise with the intention of exploring options for reviewing the role of public broadcasting. As part of this exercise, the Ministry of Education has commissioned the University of Malta's Centre for Communication Technology to co-ordinate a study entitled "Redefining the role of Public Broadcasting". The exercise, which includes workshop sessions, a one-day conference one-to-one sessions and final report & recommendations, is to attempt to encourage many of those involved in public broadcasting and other interested parties to participate in redefining roles for the future.

Minister Galea said that he was especially sensitive to the expectations of the public on the one hand and the needs and aspirations of PBS employees on the other. Whenever one discusses the way forward at PBS, Minister Galea continued, one could also find those who might argue that, even if one tried to instil genuine reform inside PBS, the next change of administration would wipe out all the effort at one stroke, and we would be back to square one. Dr. Galea insisted that two wrongs don't make a right, and that he was determined to attempt to break the mould.

A very important factor to consider in the current debate is that, as a consumer of media, the Maltese citizen is increasingly concerned with getting value for money, especially with regard to what happens to over the two million liri collected annually through TV licences. It is the Government's duty to make sure that public money is spent wisely and the financial aspects of public broadcasting will therefore be one of the important themes that will be discussed during the Conference and workshops.

Next week's workshops and Conference should be looked upon as a structured brainstorming exercise that will be conducted as informally as possible under the circumstances. It is expected that the Conference will be able to identify and give an airing to a number of options. On the other hand it is not desirable that at this stage in time the Conference be the place for individuals and constituted bodies to take positions or start negotiating over the future. Indeed, while a serious attempt has been made to ensure a wide spectrum of views and interests amongst the participants, it is expected that all of those people taking part, whether as members of various panels or as part of the audience, will be speaking on a personal basis and not necessarily on behalf of any organisations of which they may form part.

The Government wished to look towards the future and this is why it had commissioned a study by the University's Centre for Communications Technology (CCT). The team from CCT includes Professor Saviour Chircop and Dr. Joe Cannataci. Prof. Chircop specialises in media evaluation and has also had direct experience of evaluating media and public sector broadcasting in the United States.

The CCT's Project co-ordinator is Dr Joe Cannataci who is well known both locally and internationally for his experience in technology and media law. Dr. Cannataci is a member of the Council of Europe's Group of Specialists on the impact of new communications technologies on fundamental rights and democratic values and is one of the co-authors of key parts of the declaration adopted by the European Conference of Media Ministers at Thessaloniki in 1997.

A number of foreign experts have been invited to participate in the exercise. Dr. Stephen Castell is an independent expert in telecommunications who helped introduce innovative systems at the BBC and is a well-known proponent of digital terrestrial TV. Mme. Marie-Christine Weiner-Wellhoff was previously involved in media strategy development, and has worked at France 2 and is currently a senior official at the French Ministry of Culture. She has vast international experience in the development of policy-making for mass media. Dr. Bruno Somalvico is a policy adviser at RAI and is also the author of a recently published book on new trends in media.

The European Broadcasting Union has also accepted the invitation to attend and will, in fact be sending two participants - Ms. Nicola Frank is an expert on media policy attached to the EBU's Brussels office and has been deeply involved in negotiations with the European Union on ways of financing public broadcasting. Dr. Michael Wagner, who previously worked in broadcasting in Germany, is a senior legal adviser at the EBU's Geneva headquarters and has considerable international experience on policy issues and legal regulation of mass media.

Minister Galea expressed his satisfaction that this initiative has already met with considerable co-operation and support from the Board and many employees of PBS Ltd. A good percentage, indeed the largest sector of participants in next week's activities, is made up PBS employees. PBS was also helping to meet some of the costs incurred in organising such an activity.

Minister Galea concluded by expressing his confidence that the wide spectrum of views represented in this exercise, together with the assistance of the group of independent experts, would contribute to a new non-partisan approach to public broadcasting in Malta. The final report is expected to be presented by the end of next March.