People who work in the television industry will once again have a chance to be recognised for their work, with the upcoming Malta Television Awards.

An official launch was held recently by the organisers, Mermaid Media Entertainment, which is made up of Noelene Miggiani, Paul Camenzuli and Charles Foca.

The news of this awards show has piqued everyone’s interest as was evident by the number of major players in local television who turned up. Independent production houses and producers such as Where’s Everybody, Hermann Bonaci Productions, Marika and Fabian Mizzi, Pierre Portelli and his team from L-Ispjun, Andrea Cassar and Mark and Louise Doneo were among those present.

The awards are divided into three sections: programming, performance and technical and creative. Within each section are a considerable number of categories including the The Charles Arrigo Lifetime Achievement Award and the People’s Choice Award. After the unfortunate oversight was pointed out, the category of best filming will also be added.

Programmes must have been broadcast between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006.

A few suggestions from the floor pointed out that attention should also be paid to the use of good Maltese, and that the judges should be people who “at least watch and appreciate local television, and not people who loathe it.”

An application form and more information can be downloaded from www.themaltatelevisionawards.com. Producers have until Friday 21 July to submit their entries.

The short-listed nominations will be announced on Friday 25 August and the Awards Night will take place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Republic Hall on Saturday 16 September.