Malta has a diverse selection of television programming that reflects the country’s unique culture and history. From news and current affairs to drama and entertainment, Maltese television offers a range of programmes to cater for a varied audience.
Television broadcasting in Malta began in the early 1960s, when the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) started transmitting to the island. In 1962, Rediffusion Television (later known as Melita Cable) began broadcasting a limited number of programmes. The first Maltese language programme was aired in 1970, and in 1975, the Malta Broadcasting Authority (MBA) was established, taking over responsibility for broadcasting from the BFBS.
Today, the MBA operates two channels: TVM and TVM2. TVM is Malta’s national television station and offers a mix of news, current affairs, and entertainment programming. TVM2, launched in 2011, focuses on more niche content, including sports, documentaries, and lifestyle programming.
In addition to these two channels, there are a wide range of other channels, including BBC World, CNN, and the Discovery Channel. I have a TV set top box which allows me to watch extra channels including sport in English at €5.99 (£5.20) per month.
Some of the channels are Italian, of which I have little understanding of the language, but currently there is a programme that I watch called Grande Fratello VIP. This is an Italian version of the programme ‘Big Brother’ which was popular in the UK, and as the title suggests, these participants are Italian VIP’s, of course none of whom I have heard of.
This is very clever programming though, because although I don’t understand any of the language, it provides enough for me to actually work out what is going on. The only criticism that I have of the programme however, and I don’t wish to be rude to Italians, but why are they so loud and enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror at every opportunity? And that is just the men. And is a shaved chest attractive to women, if so I will get my razor out.
In some respects, the programme is also quite sexist, as the men never do any cooking or washing up, but leave it to the women. One of the men actually got a woman to change his bedding for him. This was the Alpha Male who I refer to later, who seems to think that the possible submissive female he has latched onto is so infatuated with him that she will do anything for him, and unfortunately, she does.
Also, what is the point of devoting 30 minutes of television watching two people in a swimming pool talking to each other when no-one can hear what they are saying because they took their mircophones off before going into the pool? What has developed over the time that I have been watching, is that the self appointed Alpha Male delights in being the centre of attraction, and is continually flirting with any woman who he thinks might be attracted to him, even though many of the women are married.
So what have I learnt from this programme? It takes women 2 hours to put on their make up, for what? Currently, they are in a house with six other people, and this is only because the programme is soon to end. I wonder what these women would look like if I was fortunate enough to wake up next to one of them? I have seen contestants taking a bath or shower in their bikinis or swimming shorts, but do I really want to see a man washing his ars** or pe*is with a soapy hand on television?
The latest today is Alpha Male, after already taking a shower, spots two women having a shower and then decides that he needs another shower, just to be with them. I fear that this man will ultimately win this contest, due to the fact that it seems that most Italians love the sexist male, but I hope that I am proved wrong.
Television in Malta may have come a long way since its early days in the 1960s, and although Maltese viewers are able to choose from a wide range of channels and programmes that reflect the country’s unique culture and history, I wonder as to the quality of the programming, but there seems to be something for everyone on Maltese television.
Matters Arising
For those of you who have asked about my health, I can tell you that I have now recovered from Covid. It was very unpleasant and something that I would not want to experience again. This was the first illness that I had experienced since moving to Malta nearly 3 years ago.
Excellent article today