29-06-2009

News programme receives hefty state funding

By FNE Staff
    A low budget daily programme on Malta's Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) received 68% of the station's Public Service Obligation (PSO) funding through September 2008.

    According to a report in Times of Malta, Reporter, a 10-minute daily studio program, received €88,000 from PBS's (www.pbs.com.mt) €130,000 annual PSO budget, making it the top recipient of PSO funding nationally. The report said production costs were not more than €800. The entire PSO budget is €1.1 million.

    The program is produced by Mediatoday (www.mediatoday.com.mt) and presented by the company's owner, Saviour Balzan. Mediatoday publishes the newspaper Malta Today.