For the first time, the government has launched a public consultation on what type of programmes PBS should produce under its Extended Public Service Obligations.

Speaking during a consultation meeting at St James Cavalier yesterday, Dr Zammit Dimech said the government had introduced reforms in two areas at PBS.

The first related to the organisation of the company, he said, adding that at the end of 2003, the government embarked on a restructuring process to ensure the efficiency and financial sustainability of PBS.

The second part was the launch of the National Broadcasting Policy in May 2004. He said it is the responsibility of the Tourism and Culture Ministry to implement that policy.

Accordingly, the government each year gives a sum of money to PBS Ltd (until now Lm500,000 a year) to use it for 12 types of programmes knows as programmes of Extended Public Service Obligation (EPSO).

The 12 types of programmes include, among others, current affairs, children’s programmes, educational programmes, religious, discussions and the transmission of parliamentary sittings on radio.

The ministry also has the obligation to draft a detailed list with all the needs of the ministry in the EPSO programming. This list includes the genre of programmes, the frequency of their broadcast and, when required, the length of transmission of each programme.

Then PBS is responsible, in the transparent manner set out by the National Broadcasting Policy, to choose the independent producers who produce the programmes on the national station, Dr Zammit Dimech said.

He said the consultation period would be open until 7 February to enable the drafting of the Programme Statement of Intent by March.