GENERAL INTEREST OBJECTIVES (TELEVISION SERVICES) (SELECTION CRITERIA) [ S.L.350.32 1 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 350.32 GENERAL INTEREST OBJECTIVES (TELEVISION SERVICES) (SELECTION CRITERIA) REGULATIONS 21st June, 2011 LEGAL NOTICE 240 of
- The title of these regulations is the General Interest Objectives (Television Services) (Selection Criteria) Regulations. Citation.
- 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. Scope. 3.
(1)A television service which is assigned the status of a generalist general interest objective service by the Broadcasting Authority shall broadcast a minimum of programme content of a continuous duration of 16 hours to cover a broadcasting timetable between 7:00 a.m. and 11 p.m. Mandatory criteria for generalist general interest objective television services.
(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).
(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).
(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. 2 [ S.L.350.32 Mandatory criteria for niche general interest objective television services. GENERAL INTEREST OBJECTIVES (TELEVISION SERVICES) (SELECTION CRITERIA) 4.
(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 subregulation
(2).
(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 reruns of programmes first broadcast by other services or the repeat broadcasts of documentaries, drama, cinematographic productions and educational and cultural programmes. GENERAL INTEREST OBJECTIVES (TELEVISION SERVICES) (SELECTION CRITERIA) [ S.L.350.32 3 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.