27 April - 3 May 2000

Accepted in Germany but not in Malta!

by Anthony Manduca

www.travel has just received the go-ahead to be rebroadcasted via cable by the Sachsische Landesanstait fur privaten Rundfunk und neue Medien (broadcasting regulator in the State of Saxony).

Saxony now joins cable service providers in Russia, the Middle East, Rumania, Pakistan and Estonia who are currently rebroadcasting this digital interactive travel channel.

"It's beyond my comprehension how we got a positive reaction from the Sachsische Landesanstalt fur privaten Rundfunk und neue Medien within weeks whereas we have been making the same request to the Maltese regulator for months and he has come up with nothing but one sentence refusals," Andreas F. Forsthuber, managing director of www.travel told The Malta Business Weekly.

The channel has been broadcasting via satellite since 19 November. The company has a staff compliment of 42, the majority of whom are Maltese. All producers have a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Malta.

Mr Forsthuber said is not fair that their hard work cannot be appreciated by the 77,000 Melita Cable subscribers. Consequently, 58 per cent of Maltese households are unable to receive www.travel.

No reasons have been given for the refusal by the Telecommunications Regulator. Maltese tour operators who are being given the opportunity to promote their products for free are also missing out.

Although the number of households who own a digital satellite receiver is always on the increase, if the station is also rebroadcast on Melita Cable Maltese tour operators would have a professional promotion tool at no cost whatsoever reaching nearly each and every Maltese residence.

Melita Cable subscribers would be able to enjoy the interactivity offered by www.travel. They would be able to test drive their vacation and then access the channel's web site at www.wwwtravel.net to make the necessary travel arrangements as those who own digital satellite receivers can do.

www.travel is a free to air channel so cable service providers worldwide are not being charged for rebroadcasting it.

Besides allowing would-be travellers to test drive their vacation www.travel is also an educational channel which with its virtual tour into culture and various places of interest will familiarise the Maltese with the world from the comfort of their sofa.

Mr Forsthuber said this would only only be possible if the elecommunications regulator accepts the request for the channel to be rebroadcast via Melita Cable.