A few weeks into what was described as the new local television season, it is clear that while there is little that can be called “new”, the standard of the productions continues to fall below the expectations of the average public.
Most of the programmes that are being produced – on all local stations – are repetitions of what we have seen for the past years, or else are photo-copies of each other with little thought as to how to fill the air-time constructively.
Take the breakfast shows and the magazine programmes during the day. One can see that there is an effort by the producers and the presenters to offer something educational to their viewers, but more or less these end up being half-baked situations.
When there is a decent discussion going on, this is often interrupted or stopped because it is time for adverts; or else it is dominated by the presenter who, rather than guide his or her guest on the subject in question, tries to dominate as if he or she was the expert, and not the other way round.
What is also easy to see is that these types of programmes are too similar to each other. A little bit of education here, a spot of health there, a few phone calls and the usual recipe. If one misses a recipe on a given station one day, it is probable that this same recipe is repeated on another station the following week.
The thing is that there are such kind of programmes on foreign television stations, but the way they are presented, the brighter lights, the bigger studios, the presence of an audience and the way subjects are tackled makes them much more interesting than the local productions. Even the recipes – if one were to insist on this subject – are presented in a much more lively atmosphere that one is tempted to go to the kitchen and start cooking.
One understands that locally there are limitations and the money spent on foreign productions is nowhere near what the local producers can afford. But Maltese viewers do expect something more to keep them watching.
There is a wider variety when it comes to evening programmes – talk-shows, entertainment programmes and dramas are screened at prime time but, again, there seems to be little creativity.
Some talk-shows have managed to survive years of transmission because they have evolved and try to come up with new ideas. The wide audience that follows them makes sure that the programmes continue year after year, but this does not mean that the producers can rest on their laurels. A poor season is all it takes for the show to lose popularity.
Again, the so-called entertainment programmes have to combat rising costs, but some of them end up not being entertaining at all and can be a lot better than they are.
Usually, it is the presenter who makes or breaks a TV programme – and we have seen foreign stations changing presenters when he or she does not reach the expectations, or simply remove the programme completely off the schedule if the standards are not achieved.
In Malta, this is not done. Presenters remain there whatever happens and programmes that are not up to standard drag on for months until the end of the season.
Lately, we have also seen a shift in drama productions, with producers trying to go for something different than the stereotyped efforts we had in the past. Such experiments would be welcome if the stories are less confusing and acted out well. It is good to see that there are some new faces alongside the more experienced actors, but it must also be said that sometimes the story-line, the settings and the acting leave so much to be desired.
Thousands of Maltese still continue to watch local television stations, but one wonders whether it is just out of habit or because of the language barrier. Local viewers deserve much better.