Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/506094
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 3 MAY 2015 News 9 THE number of invalid votes in lo- cal elections has shot up from only 2,721 in 2012 to 7,294 now, an in- crease from 2.5% of votes cast in 2012 to 5.5% in the latest round of local elections. The increase in invalid votes co- incided with an increase in turn- out from 59% in 2012 to 68% last month. The number of invalid votes in the concurrent hunting referendum, which had a higher overall turnout of 75%, amounted to just 2,509 or 1% of votes cast. This suggests that a number of vot- ers voted yes or no in the referendum but invalidated their vote in the local elections held at the same time. These voters probably shied away from not picking their local council ballot paper in full view of party rep- resentatives, and chose to invalidate it instead. The highest rate of invalid votes was registered in Labour-led Kirkop and PN-led San Lawrenz and Ghajn- sielem, where nearly 8% invalidated their vote. High rates of invalid votes were registered in Gozo localities where Labour made substantial inroads, such as Munxar and Zebbug. Labour-led Marsaxlokk, which has seen the PN gaining ground over 2012, also saw 7% of voters invali- dating their vote. This represented a four-point increase over 2012. This may suggest disgruntlement among Labour voters. Similarly in Zebbug the rate of invalid votes cast also in- creased by four points. But a similar four-point increase in invalid votes was also registered in PN strongholds like Balzan and Swieqi. This could indicate that a number of PN-leaning voters who went to the polls because of the referendum could also have invalidated their votes. High rates of invalid votes were also registered in the lo- cal elections in Mosta and St Paul's Bay, two strongly con- tested localities which were won by the PN. JAMES DEBONO THE percentage of people who did not watch any TV on the eve of being interviewed for a Broadcasting Au- thority survey in the winter months has shot up from 25% in 2007 to 35% in 2015. This emerges from a comparison between the latest Broadcasting Au- thority survey held in February, and previous surveys. In the latest survey, 65% stated that they had watched television the day before the interview, while 35% had not watched any TV station. Previous surveys show that TV viewing in always at its highest in the winter or autumn months and low- est in summer when people tend to go out. In this year's winter survey the percentage of people who did not watch any TV on the eve of the sur- vey is comparable to that of people who did not watch TV in the sum- mer of 2012. The least likely to watch any TV are people aged between 21 and 30 years. Among this category a slight ma- jority of 50.1% did not watch any TV on the eve of being interviewed. This suggests that among this cat- egory people are more likely to go out or to spend their leisure time at home watching DVDs or surfing the Internet. Among respondents aged between 12 and 20 only 55% watch TV. The percentage of TV viewers rises to 66% among those aged between 31 and 40 and peaks at 73% among those aged between 51 and 70 years of age. On a regional level Gozitans – 46% did not watch any TV on the day before the survey – were the least likely to watch TV. The most likely to watch TV were residents of the south harbour area, which includes Cottonera, 72% of whom watched some TV on the previous day. The second highest rate of TV watchers (68%) is found in the south- eastern region, which includes locali- ties like Birzebbugia and Zejtun. According to the survey the aver- age viewer spends nearly two hours watching TV. The survey also suggests that many of those who did not watch any TV on the previous day have not shunned TV entirely. When asked to state a favourite Maltese TV programme only 6.4% replied that they do not watch any TV at all. 18.6% of respondents replied that they do not watch local programmes, 11.6% did not have a favorite pro- gramme; 0.5% do not have a televi- sion set; while 1.1% did not reply. The survey shows that 39% of 12 to 20 year olds watch satellite or cable TV stations. The most likely to watch Mediaset channels (12.4%) are 31 to 50 year olds. Over 70 year olds (9%) are the most likely to watch Rai. Fewer people watching television, Broadcasting Authority survey finds BA survey led with finding that people are watching TV for longer, but percentage of those who actually watch the box has fallen over the last survey Localities with highest % of invalid votes 2015 Change since 2012 Kirkop 7.8 +4.1 San Lawrenz 7.8 +5 Ghajnsielem 7.6 +4 St Paul's Bay 6.9 +3.2 Munxar 6.9 +4.4 Zebbug, Gozo 6.9 +4,4 Marsaxlokk 6.8 +3.8 Zebbug 6.7 +4.4 Swieqi 6.4 +3.9 Balzan 6.1 +4.2 Mosta 6.1 +3.6 A member of far-right group Imperium Europa posted images of this mock ballot sheet telling people to invalidate their vote and call for migrant pushbacks. Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Arnold Cassola later posted on Facebook having witnessed such ballot sheets during the counting process Invalid votes cast in local elections more than double TV programme Reporter presented by MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan, has confirmed its position as the second most followed TV discussion programme on the national station. The audience survey conducted by the Broadcasting Authority shows that TVM has an audience share of 8.6% (32503 viewers) on Mondays between 21:30 and 22:00 pm and of 4.5% (16930) between 22:00 and 22:30. TVM 2, on which Reporter is also screened, registered an audience share of 1.5% (5,842 viewers) at 9:00pm. Reporter is screened on TVM2 between 20:30 and 21:30 and between 21:45 and 22:45 on TVM. The audience survey confirms that Xarabank has the largest audience among the discussion programmes screened on TVM, starting with a peak of 85,043 viewers between 20:30 and 21:00 (22% of all viewers). Timestalk which is screened between 18:45 and 19:45 on Wednesdays starts with an audience of 18,562 between 19:00 and 19:30 (4.9%) and peaks with audience of 26,391 (6.9%) between 19:30 and 19:45. Dissett, presented by Reno Bugeja, which is also screened between 18:45 and 19:45 on Thursdays, peaks with an audience of 15,461 (4.1%) between 19:30 and 19:45. Realta has the lowest audience among the five discussion shows peaking at 7,590 viewers (2%).