Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1494707
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 MARCH 2023 NEWS MEDIATODAY, publishers of MaltaToday, has appointed Kurt Sansone as Executive Editor of MaltaToday and Karl Azzopardi as Online Editor together with Nicole Meilak as deputy online editor. Matthew Vella who served as executive editor from 2013, and as editor on various Mediatoday publications from 2006 onwards, announced he will be stepping down from the role to have more time for his family. He will remain a journalist for MediaToday and also anchor the TV production Mill-Kamra. MediaToday managing direc- tor Saviour Balzan said: "I have to thank Matthew for his unique contribution to MaltaToday. For the last 20 years, his hard work, long hours, work ethic, investi- gative skills and drive have con- tributed to making MaltaToday what it is today. There are simply too many agenda-setting news stories to mention, marked by Matthew's irreverence towards the establishment and his intol- erance to injustice. His editorial line on migration, land use, di- vorce, abortion, corruption, lib- eral values and gender equality helped mould MaltaToday into what it represents today. "He also oversaw the transition from print to digital and trained some of our best journalists. Thankfully he will still be con- tributing to MaltaToday, but I wish him well and I will miss our fiery but fruitful owner-to-editor discussions." "On the other hand I welcome Kurt, Karl and Nicole in their new roles, and I am sure that together with all the other jour- nalists in the newsroom they will be a formidable team together and continue to make MaltaTo- day a relevant and credible news source." Kurt Sansone, 48, is edi- tor-in-chief at MaltaToday, bringing with him over 25 years of experience in print, online, TV and radio. He was involved in the crea- tion of the first Mal- tese portal d i - v e . c o m , and later deputy edi- tor of Mal- t a T o d a y soon after l a u n c h i n g in 1999. Sansone was also the first editor of Mediatoday's Maltese-lan- guage newspaper Illum. He spent seven years at the Times of Malta before returning to Malt- aToday as online editor in 2017. A graduate in communications and sociology, he is a father of two and married to Antonella. "It is a great responsibility to take the baton from Matthew Vella, who takes a step back for some well-earned rest after an- choring MaltaToday as one of Malta's leading news organisa- tions for cutting edge analysis and incisive journalism. I aim to continue nurturing those values while ensuring that through pro- fessional, ethical and irreverent journalism we remain a beacon of hope at a time of information overload," Sansone said. Karl Azzopardi, 26, joined MaltaToday as a student in Jan- uary 2018. Azzopardi studied journalism at degree level at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST). He obtained a Master's Degree in Media and Public Relations from the University of Leicester. He was Institute of Maltese Journal- ists best human story winner in 2019. Nicole Meilak, 23, joined Malt- aToday in 2020, having obtained a degree in economics and pub- lic policy from the University of Malta. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Film Stud- ies at the University of Malta. Meilak was also named most promising journalist in the 2023 Institute of Maltese Journalists Awards. New editorial appointments at Mediatoday 3.00% p.a. Fixed-term deposit account in Euro for 3 years. Fixed-term deposits just got beer. → direct The Bank is a participant in the Depositor Compensation Scheme established under the Maltese Laws. Rate is quoted gross of tax on a per annum basis. Accounts can be opened with a minimum of €100. Interest is paid into a savings account. The Bank reserves the right to amend or withdraw the product from the market at any time and at its sole and absolute discretion. Terms and conditions apply. MeDirect Bank (Malta) plc, company registration number C34125, is licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority under the Banking Act (Cap. 371). 2557 4400 medirect.com.mt From left, Karl Azzopardi, Matthew Vella and Kurt Sansone. Inset: Nicole Meilak with her award JAMES BIANCHI