General Interest Objectives (Television Services) (televisionservices)

L.N. 240 of 2011

BROADCASTING ACT

(CAP. 350)

General Interest Objectives (Television Services)

(Selection Criteria) Regulations, 2011

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 40(3) of the

Broadcasting Act, the Prime Minister, after consultation with the

Broadcasting Authority, has made the following regulations:-

(1) The title of these regulations is the General Interest Citation and entry into

Objectives (Television Services) (Selection Criteria) Regulations,

2011. (2)

These regulations shall come into force on 21st

June, 2011.

These regulations set out the criteria to be adopted by

the Broadcasting Authority in the selection of television services

that fulfil a general interest objective, whether such services are

generalist or niche.

(1) A television service which is assigned the status of Mandatory

a generalist general interest objective service by the Broadcasting interest objective

Authority shall broadcast a minimum of programme content of a television services.

continuous duration of 16 hours to cover a broadcasting timetable

between 7:00 a.m. and 11 p.m.

(2) Such a television station shall offer a wide range of

quality programming that address a broad range of genres. Thirty

five per centum of the output during the mandatory broadcasting

timetable shall consist of a selection from at least five genres which

are considered to fulfil a core or extended public service obligation

which genres are listed in Schedule A.

(3) A generalist general interest objective television

service may only broadcast up to a maximum of three hours of

teleshopping windows per day in the mandatory broadcasting

timetable referred to in sub-regulation (1) hereof.

(4) A generalist general interest objective television

service shall broadcast at least one news bulletin during the

mandatory broadcasting timetable referred to in sub-regulation (1)

hereof.

(5) A generalist general interest objective television

service shall broadcast at least 30 minutes of weekly programming

accessible to people with hearing disability.

(6) A generalist general interest objective television

service shall produce at least one current affairs programme per

week during the period October to June of each year.

(7) The duration of repeat programming on a generalist

general interest objective television service shall not exceed an

annual average of thirty five per centum of the total mandatory

broadcasting time. This requirement shall not apply to repeat

broadcasts of documentaries, drama, cinematographic productions

and educational and cultural programmes.

(1) Niche general interest objective television

services may be of a highly varied nature and consequently the

Broadcasting Authority is expected to be flexible in the application

of these regulations and shall be ready to adapt to address particular

requests which would enhance the range of offer to the consumers.

(2) Such a service shall broadcast a minimum duration

of ten hours of programme content per day which may be spread

over a broadcasting time table between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

(3) Such a service shall predominantly transmit

programmes from a limited number of genres which are considered

to fulfil a core or extended public service obligation which genres

are listed in Schedule A. Sixty per centum of the output (whether

first run or repeat) during the mandatory broadcasting timetable

shall consist of such programmes.

(4) A niche general interest objective television service

may only broadcast a maximum of two hours of teleshopping

windows per day in the mandatory broadcasting timetable referred

to in sub-regulation (2) hereof.

(5) The duration of repeat programming on a niche

general interest objective service shall normally not exceed an

annual average of forty-five per centum of the total mandatory

broadcasting time. This requirement shall not however apply to re-

runs of programmes first broadcast by other services or the repeat

broadcasts of documentaries, drama, cinematographic productions

and educational and cultural programmes.

Schedule A

[Regulations (3) and 4(3)]

List of Programme Genres

(i)

The transmission of events of a national character as determined

from time to time by Government;

(ii)

Public service announcements without payment;

(iii)

One-off transmission of Parliamentary debates

(iv)

Current affairs programmes;

(v)

Discussion programmes dealing with topics of a social, cultural,

educational, environmental, economical, industrial or political nature;

(vi)

Programmes dealing with religious topics and the transmission of

Mass on Sundays and some holy days of Obligation;

(vii)

Programmes that have children as their principal audience;

(viii)

Drama programmes in Maltese with preference being given to

original drama in Maltese;

(ix)

Programmes that are cultural in nature but especially those that

enhance the Maltese language, the arts and culture; as well as programmes of

classical music;

(x)

Programmes that are focused on Gozo and in particular that highlight

Gozitan society, culture and way of life;

(xi)

Programmes that focus on Maltese communities abroad;

(xii)

General information programmes;

(xiii)

Programmes that are educational in nature;

(xiv)

News bulletins;

(xv)

Programmes featuring local sports.

€0.36