Producers of current affairs programmes on PBS need to obtain approval on the topics to be discussed 15 days before the programme is aired, as well as the guests invited.

The directive comes into force immediately, a memo signed by chairman Mark Sammut says.

The topics of the programmes must be sent to the PBS head of news Norma Saliba for approval.

"In this regards, the management needs to be informed 15 days in advance with the topics which are going to be discussed in their respective programmes and relative guests. 

"All details need to be sent to Ms Norma Saliba on [email protected] for the PBS management's pre-approval," the memo said.

This approval was also requested last year, but it has now been fully formalised.

The 15-day requirement would mean that only "old topics" can be discussed. One producer said that such programmes cannot really be called "current affairs" if they need to be planned 15 days before.