The Maltese television viewing public really can’t grumble. For each day each station carries sometimes even more than one episode of a soap opera. Maybe for some it is incredible how people can keep the story-line in their heads and follow the developments but that is precisely what they do.

We cannot say that the fare provided to Maltese viewers is at a par with Coronation Street, Eastenders, Emmerdale or even Il Segreto, all of which are also avidly followed by Maltese viewers but they have come a long way.

The soaps offered to Maltese viewers by Maltese companies are of a quite high standard. Technically speaking, it is amazing what they succeed in doing with so few resources and so small a crew. The people involved spend long hours at below level pay to produce this entertainment.

Some story-lines are linear but in general one finds that many story-lines get convoluted and prolix. Sub-plots come in and go out, twisting and turning from episode to episode. It is perhaps inevitable that many story-lines focus on prison, Police HQ, drug taking and other staples of television drama.

Many of the episodes are broadcast after the 8.30pm benchmark, by which time it is supposed that children are safe in bed. But more and more visual episodes that push back the boundaries of what is normally seen are creeping in.

In recent episodes,  we have seen

-          A father telling his daughter to undress so that he can have sex with her

-          Two 12-year olds engaging in more than just kissing and actually in sexual foreplay

-          The violence that is shown has progressively become more graphic

And apart from that the swear words and the obscene language now knows no bounds. Of course, that is how people in real life speak, swear words and all but that does not mean free reign can be allowed on the air.

We live in a post-censorship world at least as far as theatre is concerned but television attracts a mass audience and is, or rather was, considered as one huge influencer of the public.

This paper is not asking for censorship to be brought back but rather for more content, less trash. You do not have to get your characters to swear like a navvy to make your story attractive to viewers. Like we say at song contests, it is the songs with the worst music who get in supporting actors, acrobats and the like to cover up for the lack of real music.