Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546198
3 TELEVISON maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 AUGUST 2026 on growing appetite for local content productions that could act as a stronger foundation for local producers." That said, Calleja says the fu- ture sustainability of the sector cannot depend on one organi- sation alone. A healthy industry needs multiple investors, more producers, stronger companies and greater access to interna- tional markets. "The progress made in recent years is encouraging, and view- er appetite continues to be the strongest signal that this invest- ment is worthwhile. The ob- jective now is to keep building an ecosystem that can generate opportunities beyond any single project or funder." Moreover, Calleja says Malta's size is both a challenge and an opportunity. "A smaller domestic market means productions need to think internationally from the outset, but many successful cre- ative industries have emerged from countries with relatively small populations." She says it is worth remember- ing that Malta's true audience extends beyond its shores, to a large and passionate diaspora across the world who want to stay connected to their herit- age through "authentic, home- grown content". That global community of expats represents a meaningful and often over- looked audience in its own right. "The biggest challenges are not talent or creativity. Malta has an abundance of talented actors, writers, directors and production professionals. The real challenges lie in scale, fi- nancing, distribution and inter- national access," she explains. Calleja stresses that to reach wider audiences, Maltese pro- ductions need investment that enables higher production standards, stronger interna- tional partnerships and co-pro- ductions, greater expertise in selling and distributing content abroad, while staying "authenti- cally Maltese" and touching on themes audiences everywhere can connect with. "The goal is not to make Mal- tese content less Maltese. It is to tell Maltese stories in a way that resonates internationally, in- cluding with the many Maltese living abroad who want to feel close to home." The long-term objective Calleja says producing more content is only one part of building a sustainable crea- tive industry. The long-term objective must be to create an "ecosystem where talent can develop, business can grow and intellectual property can be cre- ated and exported." "TOKIS was created with this longer-term vision in mind. It was never just about producing programmes. It was about help- ing to build a sustainable space for Maltese storytelling and Maltese talent to thrive." Ultimately, Calleja says view- ers are the ones who shape what gets made. "Their engagement tells us which stories matter and where to invest next. As long as view- ers continue to demand Maltese content, we will continue to in- vest in and support the local production industry." "Our objective was to build a more continuous pipeline of Maltese content, giving writers, directors, actors, producers and technical crews more regular opportunities to work and to develop their careers" Il-Kliem Mohbi Il-Kliem Mohbi Il-Kliem Mohbi