TVM

TVM, short for Television Malta, is Malta’s principal public television channel and the country’s oldest continuously established television service. It began broadcasting on 29 September 1962 under the name Malta Television Service, with technical assistance from Rediffusion UK. The launch followed years in which Maltese audiences could receive television signals from nearby Sicily, and marked the creation of a locally based television service intended to provide national information, entertainment and cultural programming. In its early years, the service operated as a subsidiary of Rediffusion Malta and broadcast from Rediffusion House in Gwardamanġa before moving to Television House in 1964. Its schedule combined imported British programmes, locally produced material, news and public-information content. Following Malta’s independence, television also carried official announcements, emergency information and public-service films. The service gradually became an important part of national life, although television ownership expanded slowly while radio remained the dominant medium during the 1960s and 1970s. A major institutional turning point came in 1975. A labour dispute between Rediffusion Malta employees and management led to a sit-in, a temporary interruption of normal broadcasting and the creation of an emergency service run by workers. The dispute contributed to the transfer of television into state control. Xandir Malta was established within the government-owned Telemalta structure and became the institutional predecessor of today’s Public Broadcasting Services. This transition made television a national public service rather than a commercially operated Rediffusion undertaking. TVM introduced colour broadcasting in July 1981. During the following decades it expanded its local output while continuing to acquire programmes from the United Kingdom, United States, Italy and other European markets. Its schedule developed across news, current affairs, sport, entertainment, drama, children’s programming, cultural material and magazine formats. TVM also became a regular platform for Malta’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and for major national events. The channel produced Malta’s editions of Jeux sans frontières in 1994 and 1995. The network modernised technologically and visually in the 2000s and 2010s. A major identity change was introduced in 2007, followed by an anniversary-led overhaul announced in 2011 for the channel’s fiftieth anniversary. The latter period included a move toward widescreen broadcasting, high-definition production and stronger integration with PBS’s wider television and online services. Analogue transmission ended on 1 November 2011, while TVM received priority on Malta’s digital terrestrial platform. TVM now operates within a wider PBS ecosystem that includes TVM+, TVMSport+ and Parliament TV, as well as the TVMi streaming service. Its programming is primarily in Maltese, with English-language material also present, including Euronews output on associated services. Funding combines government support with commercial advertising. PBS commissions programming from independent producers through proposals and programme statements of intent. The channel has remained a central source of Maltese news because it is not owned by a political party, unlike the principal Labour- and Nationalist-affiliated commercial broadcasters. It has periodically led audience rankings and has carried widely watched news, breakfast, discussion, entertainment and event programming. Brand and channel reorganisations in the 2020s separated news and current affairs more sharply from general entertainment, although the arrangement was revised again in the mid-2020s. TVM remains an active national public-service television brand with broadcast, digital and streaming distribution.

TVM’s history begins with Malta’s first locally established television service, launched on 29 September 1962 as the Malta Television Service. Rediffusion Malta, operating with technical support from its British parent, provided the initial infrastructure and programming expertise. The service initially broadcast for only a few hours each day and mixed imported productions with Maltese programmes, official speeches and news. Its first facilities were at Rediffusion House in Gwardamanġa; in 1964 operations moved to purpose-built Television House. After independence, the television service acquired a broader public-information role. It was used for emergency and police messages and for films produced by government departments. Malta’s television culture developed alongside strong Italian and British influences, reflecting the country’s geographic position and earlier radio history. The service remained modest in scale at first because television receivers were expensive and radio retained greater reach. The most consequential institutional change occurred in 1975. A collective-bargaining dispute at Rediffusion Malta escalated into a sit-in and lockout. Workers halted ordinary broadcasting, operated an emergency news service and resisted management’s attempts to resume control. Legal and industrial-relations disputes followed. The government subsequently moved television into state control through Xandir Malta, created within Telemalta. This organisation became the predecessor of PBS, the public broadcaster that now operates TVM. A second television service was later developed from the same facilities, and outside-broadcast capacity expanded during the mid-1970s. Colour transmission began on 8 July 1981. TVM’s schedule in that era divided output between locally produced programming and foreign acquisitions, with material from the United States, United Kingdom and continental Europe. Local television gradually broadened beyond formal and classical programming. Music, youth, entertainment and live-performance formats became more visible, while TVM produced or hosted national events and international formats. It produced Malta’s Jeux sans frontières editions in 1994 and 1995 and maintained a prominent role in Eurovision-related broadcasting. During the 2000s TVM consolidated its position as Malta’s leading public channel. It ranked first in a Broadcasting Authority survey in 2005. A new visual identity and news studio arrived in 2007, though the cost and execution of the rebrand attracted public criticism. The channel also faced regulatory action in that year over a reference in an episode of 118. Digital migration followed: analogue transmission was finally switched off in November 2011, and TVM received priority on the digital platform. The 2011–2012 modernisation programme connected TVM’s fiftieth anniversary with a new identity, widescreen presentation and a gradual move to HD. PBS also introduced TVM HD trials and launched TVM2 as an additional service in 2012. TVM2 later became TVMNews+, then TVM+ in 2024. Parliament TV was created in 2015 through cooperation between PBS and the Parliament of Malta. TVMSport+ launched in 2022, bringing sports output that had previously been distributed across multiple services into a dedicated channel. TVM’s digital footprint expanded through TVMi, PBS’s free streaming platform for live channels, radio streams, schedules and on-demand programmes. The service was modernised in 2022 but did not immediately adopt every later visual change. In 2021 PBS reorganised its television brands, placing greater emphasis on a distinction between entertainment and news. The plan drew political criticism because TVMNews+ had lower audience reach and because popular discussion programmes had previously been removed from the main channel. A further rebrand in 2023 revised the identity, and later changes restored TVM’s general-programming role while TVM+ became the secondary service. Despite these shifts, TVM continues to function as Malta’s central public television outlet, combining news, current affairs, entertainment, sport, children’s content and national-event coverage.

1. 2024TVM channel roles are revised

   TVM returned to general programming, while TVM+ became the secondary service and TVMSport+ retained its sports role.

   Source
2. 2023PBS stations receive a further rebrand

   TVM and related services introduced another identity system in October.

   Source
3. 2022TVMSport+ launches

   PBS launched a dedicated sports channel and modernised TVMi.

   Source
4. 2021TVM brand architecture is reorganised

   TVM was positioned around drama and family entertainment while TVMNews+ became the dedicated news and current-affairs service.

   Source
5. 2015Parliament TV is established

   PBS and Malta’s Parliament created a joint television service for parliamentary proceedings.

   Source
6. 2012TVM2 and HD trials expand the service portfolio

   PBS introduced TVM2 as an additional channel and began trials of TVM HD.

   Source
7. 2011Digital transition and anniversary overhaul

   Analogue transmission ended and PBS announced a TVM identity and technology upgrade ahead of the fiftieth anniversary.

   Source
8. 2007Major visual rebrand

   TVM introduced a new logo, identity system and news studio.

   Source
9. 1995Second Jeux sans frontières production

   TVM produced a second Maltese edition, staged at Fort Manoel.

   Source
10. 1994First Jeux sans frontières production

    TVM produced Malta’s edition of the international competition programme at the National Pool Complex.

    Source
11. 1981Colour broadcasting begins

    TVM started colour transmission on 8 July.

    Source
12. 1975Xandir Malta is established

    Following the Rediffusion labour dispute, television entered the state-owned Telemalta structure through Xandir Malta.

    Source
13. 1964Move to Television House

    The service moved from Rediffusion House to a purpose-built television facility.

    Source
14. 1962Malta Television Service begins broadcasting

    The first locally based Maltese television service launched on 29 September under Rediffusion Malta.

    Source

Malta’s principal public-service television brand, combining national news, Maltese-language programming, entertainment, sport and coverage of major civic events.

• TVMNational television channel1962

  The flagship PBS television service. TVM carries Maltese news, current affairs, entertainment, drama, sport, children’s programming, magazine shows and coverage of national events. Its present role is general programming for a broad domestic audience, with distribution through terrestrial television, pay-TV platforms and online streaming.

• TVM+Secondary television channel2012

  PBS’s secondary channel, carrying additional programmes, imported material, repeats and content not scheduled on the main TVM service. It previously operated under the TVM2 and TVMNews+ identities before returning to a broader secondary-channel remit.

• TVMSport+Sports television channel2022

  A dedicated PBS sports channel launched in 2022. It consolidates sports programming that had previously appeared on TVM and TVM2, including coverage of selected major sporting events and related programmes.

• TVMiStreaming service

  TVM’s free online video service, offering livestreams of PBS television and radio channels, schedules and on-demand access to many previously broadcast programmes. It can also carry temporary event streams and supplementary live video.

• TVM HDHigh-definition television service2012

  An early high-definition trial service introduced by PBS in 2012 and distributed through cable platforms. The separate HD channels were eventually retired as the regular TVM services adopted HD production and transmission more broadly.

• 2024Restore TVM’s general-programming roleStrategy

  The 2021 separation of entertainment and news had generated criticism and required a subsequent portfolio adjustment.

  What changed. TVM returned to general programming, TVM+ became the secondary service and TVMSport+ retained its sports remit.

  Aftermath. The PBS channel structure again placed broad programming on TVM while retaining separate secondary and sports outlets.

  Source
• 2022Launch a dedicated sports channelProduct launch

  Sports programmes had previously been distributed between TVM and TVM2 or placed on temporary sports-branded schedules.

  What changed. PBS launched TVMSport+ on 29 September as part of TVM’s sixtieth-anniversary celebrations.

  Aftermath. Sports content gained a permanent dedicated outlet within the PBS channel portfolio.

  Source
• 2021Separate news from general entertainmentStrategy

  PBS sought to reorganise its television portfolio and give news and current affairs a distinct channel identity.

  What changed. TVM was refocused on drama and family entertainment while TVMNews+ took the news and current-affairs role.

  Aftermath. The decision drew criticism from opposition figures and commentators concerned about the secondary channel’s audience reach; the arrangement was later revised.

  Source
• 2011Complete the transition to digital televisionGeneration change

  Malta was moving away from analogue terrestrial transmission and modernising the national television infrastructure.

  What changed. TVM switched off its analogue signal on 1 November and received priority on the digital platform.

  Aftermath. TVM continued as a principal digital terrestrial service and moved toward widescreen and HD presentation.

  Source
• 1975Transfer television into public ownershipStrategy

  A labour dispute at Rediffusion Malta disrupted normal broadcasting and created pressure for government intervention.

  What changed. The state established Xandir Malta within Telemalta, creating the institutional path toward PBS operation of TVM.

  Aftermath. TVM became part of Malta’s public broadcasting system and later operated under PBS.

  Source

• 2023TVM portfolio receives another identity change

  TVM and other PBS stations introduced a new identity in October, while TVMSport+ continued as the dedicated sports service.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2022TVM launches TVMSport+

  PBS launched a dedicated sports channel on 29 September as part of TVM’s sixtieth-anniversary celebrations.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2022Virtual-set production draws criticism

  The use of virtual sets on some key programmes attracted criticism focused on perceived picture quality.

  Other
  Source
• 2021PBS reorganises TVM brands and channels

  A rebrand divided the channel portfolio between general entertainment on TVM and news and current affairs on TVMNews+. The identity and the decision to move news programming prompted criticism from opposition figures and design participants.

  Other
  Source
• 2011TVM completes analogue switch-off

  Analogue transmission ended on 1 November after earlier planned switch-off dates had been postponed.

  Product generation
  Source
• 2011TVM introduces anniversary identity and HD transition

  PBS announced a major identity overhaul connected with TVM’s fiftieth anniversary, alongside widescreen and high-definition modernisation.

  Product generation
  Source
• 2007TVM is fined over a programme reference

  The channel was fined after mentioning the establishment where an episode of the 118 programme had been filmed.

  Regulation
  Source
• 2005TVM receives a Broadcasting Authority audience lead

  A second-quarter audience survey identified TVM as Malta’s favourite television channel among respondents.

  Other
  Source
• 1981TVM introduces colour broadcasting

  Malta’s public television service switched to colour transmission on 8 July.

  Product generation
  Source
• 1975Rediffusion dispute contributes to television nationalisation

  A labour dispute and sit-in by Rediffusion Malta employees disrupted broadcasting and helped lead to the creation of Xandir Malta within the state-owned Telemalta structure.

  Other
  Source
• 1962TVM launches its first Maltese television service

  The Malta Television Service began regular local broadcasting on 29 September, establishing the service that later became TVM.

  Other
  Source

1. TVM (Malta)
2. TVM official website