Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1395902
This commitment is aimed at developing better journalistic, sports, cultural programming and also more quality programming targeting youths and in relation to life in Gozo 12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 JULY 2021 OPINION MANY would expect for reform to be presented in a document with big titles and grand state- ments. I would instead submit hat change needs to be executed and experienced. This is what my mantra has been since tak- ing over the Public Broadcasting co-ordination portfolio in Janu- ary last year. I use 'co-ordination' as indeed it was always my ethos not to overstep this role and interfere in the editorial line at TVM. TVM and its role as part of the fourth pillar of democracy is sacrosanct. This however does not relinquish the importance of government's role to oversee PBS as a company where the State has full shareholding, and from reforming and updating how we as a country interpret the role of public broadcasting from a policy and implementa- tion perspective. As from my first visit to PBS on the 5 February 2020 I re- flected Prime Minister Robert Abela's words and vision for change at the public broadcast- er. Change based on inclusivity, access, quality and creativity. One of the major changes ef- fected was one that saw our programme statement of in- tent process modernised and updated – taking into account numerous recommendations made by the industry during a specific conference on the qual- ity of public broadcasting. This ministry has pushed to provide PBS with even more resources with an aim to reach the widest possible audience including online. This has been seen to via a strong multi-annu- al package to PBS that will see its budget allocation reach €30 million over five years to create content that is not purely of a commercial nature as part of its public service obligation. This commitment is aimed at developing better journalistic, sports, cultural programming and also more quality program- ming targeting youths and in relation to life in Gozo. Over the last year and a half we have clearly outlined how accessibility will become a prin- ciple synonymous with PBS. On the national day of sign language in 2020, we coordi- nated the launch of a campaign by PBS in order to teach the Maltese audience basic terms in sign language. An initiative which has been received pos- itively by the general public and which was renewed over a number of months. We have also endeavoured to provide important broadcasts like the COVID briefings and current affairs programme INSIGHTS in sign language. Apart from this we held three consecutive consultation ses- sions on broadcasting and in- clusivity – the first two focused on highlighting issues faced by deaf and blind members of the audience and the third focused on the segment of our audience that has intellectual disabilities. We discussed rules to increase obligatory subtitling, audio files to accompany all news articles, better programming for those on the autism spectrum and much more. The feedback gathered through these three consulta- tion sessions is being useful for the national broadcaster to im- prove accessibility for all. Another seminar on the use of the Maltese language in broad- casting served as a catalyst for a new code of the use of Maltese in broadcasting which will be made public in the next weeks. This apart from other inter- nal structural changes in the running of the corporation that might not be seen from the out- side but which I assure you have already started to reap results within. This is the change that we are bringing along. A change which is being experienced first hand by producers as they dia- logue with PBS in their prepa- rations for the new autumn schedule and a more visible change that we will announce very soon: always with an aim to give a better service to the Mal- tese audience, so that the PBS rises up to the challenge's of a news cycle that never sleeps and an audience that expects – and deserves – more quality, variety and thought provoking content. A PBS that indeed we can all continue to be proud of. Reforming the public broadcaster Carmelo Abela Carmelo Abela is minister within the Office of the Prime Minister