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MEDIA
Daily and
weekly publications appear in both Maltese and English. Italian
television and radio are also received and have a wide local audience.
(Cable)
radio broadcasting was introduced in the mid-1930s partly to counter the
Fascist propaganda that was reaching Malta through Italian radio
stations. Television Malta was launched in September 1962, five
years after the Maltese started receiving television signals from Italy.
The 1991
Broadcasting Act permits private commercial broadcasting, ending lively
political debates on the alleged partisan views of state-run TV and
radio. Upon the liberalisation of the media, the first
broadcasting licences were granted to the two major political parties
and the Catholic Church. More stations followed suit and there is
now a proliferation of privately-run radio stations and several TV
channels.
Cable TV
was introduced in 1992 and satellite TV is widely-watched.
Malta's
membership of the Council of Europe means that Maltese media laws are
based on European law.
Most of
Malta's newspapers and broadcasters have strong political affiliations.
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