 | |
| Frequency | |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Maltese |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Public Broadcasting Services (Government of Malta) |
| Radju Malta 2, Magic Malta | |
| History | |
First air date |
|
| Technical information | |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°53′31″N14°29′32″E / 35.89194°N 14.49222°E Coordinates: 35°53′31″N14°29′32″E / 35.89194°N 14.49222°E |
| Links | |
| Website | Radju Malta |
Radio Malta (Maltese : Radju Malta) is the main radio service of Public Broadcasting Services, the public broadcaster of Malta.
The origins of Radio Malta go back to 1935. For many years, transmissions were effected on a cable-radio system which started way back on 11 November 1935 by a British company called Rediffusion. [1] This Rediffusion Cable Radio Service was officially launched on 11 November 1935. [2] On 29 September 1962, the same company, officially opened the Malta Television Service, then known as MTV, now Television Malta (TVM). [3] During the late sixties Rediffusion Malta effected several test transmissions with the aim to set up a radio station. But the radio station never materialised, possibly due to conflict of interest with the cable radio system which the same company was utilising.
Regular Wireless radio transmissions in Maltese started on 8 January 1973 by the Malta Broadcasting Authority on 999 kHz Medium Wave (AM). It was called "Radju ta' Malta". [4] This frequency is still in use by Radio Malta.
Norman Hamilton, then Rediffusion's top D.J., left the company and decided to join Radio Malta from its first day of transmission. Norman is no longer involved in radio. Mario Laus was also one of Radio Malta's first D.J.s and today he is still one of its most popular D.J.s and certainly the longest-serving D.J. of this radio station. Another popular D.J. is Brian Micallef who started presenting Rock Programs during the Rediffusion era and is still very active on Radio Malta.
In 1975, when Xandir Malta was set up, the Cable Radio system, now no longer belonging to Rediffusion, and Radio Malta, became one entity with a separate identity.
Radio Malta started transmitting on FM 93.7 MHz when the British Forces Broadcasting Services (BFBS Malta) closed down on 31 March 1979 with the departure of British Services from the Maltese Islands.
The cable radio system was officially closed down on 31 January 1989 and its programmes continued on as a wireless service on MW 999 kHz. [5] Consequently, many talented and experienced broadcasters were now working solely for Radio Malta. Among these, the late Charles Arrigo, trained by the B.B.C., and considered by many as the Dean of Maltese Broadcasting. The legendary and charismatic broadcaster, the late Charles Abela Mizzi, with his golden voice, also gave a great contribution to Radio Malta. Other veterans, still serving with Radio Malta, are George Peresso and Peter Paul Ciantar.
In 1990, Public Broadcasting Services took over the role and responsibility of Xandir Malta. [6] Its stereophonic transmissions are now also accessible in Malta on DAB+. [7]
The year 1991 ushered in an era of broadcast pluralism in Malta. [8] This phenomenon brought to Radio Malta many a new talent. However, with pluralism, Malta witnessed greater staff mobility within local radio stations which started to mushroom on the Maltese Islands. Joe Dimech, Lilian Maistre, Ray Calleja, Tony Micallef, Albert Storace, Brian Micallef, Eddie Darmanin, are just some of its longest serving broadcasters. Today many new voices are part of Radio Malta's success. Other veterans have also returned to the fold.
Radio Malta transmits cultural and current affairs programmes putting a strong focus on news . Phone-Ins feature on some of its programmes. Classical music and classic hits form an integral part of its daily 24x7 schedule.
With the exception of the BBC News, all programmes on Radio Malta are transmitted in the Maltese language.
In a survey conducted by the Malta Broadcasting Authority published in September 2019, Radio Malta was classified as the third most "listened to" radio station in Malta and Gozo. [9] In the "Daytime Call-in/Request Shows" category, Lilian Maistre's show came first with regards to "Radio Programmes which listeners normally follow". [10]
In the Audience Survey December 2020 conducted by the Malta Broadcasting Authority published in January 2021, 96% (763 respondents) of all radio listeners use the radio set for listening to radio programmes. The radio set is the most used radio reception service for listening to radio, with almost all radio listeners using this as a radio reception service. 5% (36 respondents) of all radio listeners make use of DAB+. [11]
The current station's Programmes Manager is Mr. Frans Lia.
Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) is a digital radio standard for broadcasting digital audio radio services in many countries around the world, defined, supported, marketed and promoted by the WorldDAB organisation. The standard is dominant in Europe and is also used in Australia, and in parts of Africa and Asia.
BBC Radio Oxford is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Oxfordshire.
RTÉ Radio 1 is an Irish national radio station owned and operated by RTÉ and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926.
BBC Radio Solent is the BBC's local radio station serving Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.
BBC Radio Leeds is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of West Yorkshire.
Rediffusion was a business that distributed radio and TV signals through wired relay networks. The business gave rise to a number of other companies, including Associated-Rediffusion, later known as Rediffusion London, the first ITV franchisee to go on air in the UK. Rediffusion also spawned a record label, Rediffusion International Music, in 1968.
Public Broadcasting Services Limited (PBS) is the public broadcaster of Malta. PBS is funded by government grants and the sale of commercial airtime. Its TVM channel is Malta's most watched television channel, and its radio station Magic Malta enjoys huge popularity among local and tourist listeners.
Gold is a network of oldies radio stations in the United Kingdom, which was formed by the merger of the Capital Gold network and the Classic Gold network in August 2007. The station relaunched in March 2014 as a partly-automated service, broadcasting in fewer areas, after many of Gold's local AM/DAB frequencies were transferred to Smooth Radio. Most programming is broadcast from the Global Radio's studios in Leicester Square, London.
The Mendip transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility on the summit of Pen Hill, part of the Mendip Hills range in Somerset, England, at 305 metres (1,001 ft) above sea level. The station is in St Cuthbert Out civil parish in Mendip district, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) northeast of the centre of Wells. It has a 281.6 m (924 ft) tall mast, which was built in 1967 and weighs around 500 tonnes, and is the tallest structure in South West England. The mast broadcasts digital television, FM analogue radio and DAB digital radio, and had broadcast analogue colour television from 1967 until 2010. It has become a Mendip landmark, providing a method of identifying the hills from a distance.
Cable radio or cable FM is a concept similar to that of cable television, bringing radio broadcasting into homes and businesses via coaxial cable. It is generally used for the same reason as cable TV was in its early days when it was "community antenna television", in order to enhance the quality of over-the-air radio signals that are difficult to receive in an area. However, cable-only radio outlets also exist.
Public radio broadcasting began in Singapore in April 1925, after the Amateur Wireless Society of Malaya obtained a temporary license to broadcast. Radio Singapura was established as the first local mass market radio service in 1959. Subsequently, on 15 February 1963, before the withdrawal of the British Armed Forces, and after the merger with Malaya, Singapore's first television service began as Televisyen Singapura under its owner, Radio Television Singapore (RTS).
Bay Radio, also known as 89.7 Bay, is a radio station located in Malta. Bay Radio is owned by the Eden Leisure Group and was founded in 1991.
The radio technology known as Digital Audio Broadcasting, and its TV sibling, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), is being operated in several regions worldwide, either in the form of full services, or as feasibility studies.
Joseph "Joe" Grech, is a Maltese singer, who was born in Cospicua, Malta. He is best known for introducing the Maltese language to the Eurovision Song Contest 1971, the first appearance from Malta on this pan-European television event.
Red FM is a defunct Malaysian English language-private radio station that used to broadcast across Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. It was managed by Star Media Radio Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Star Publications (M) Bhd. Red FM began broadcasting on 1 September 2001 and was one of Malaysia's top five English radio stations.
The Burnhope transmitting station is a television transmitter in the north of England.
Rediffusion Singapore, started in 1949, was the first cable-transmitted radio station in Singapore. It was a Singapore subsidiary of the Broadcast Relay Services (Overseas) Ltd. It was also Singapore's only subscription radio service. Due to decreasing subscription, it closed in 2012. On closure, a former Rediffusion Singapore deejay, Eva Chang Mei Hsiang, bought the radio station and in 2013 re-opened the radio station as an online radio station.
The St Hilary transmitting station is a facility for telecommunications situated close to the village of St Hilary, Glamorgan in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, in the UK. It comprises a 229-metre (750 ft) guyed mast with antennas attached at various heights. The site was established in 1958 for Independent Television transmission on VHF. Transmissions from the site include FM radio, DAB radio and mobile telephone signals.
Although Malta is a small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea with a small population, it is nonetheless rich in its history and its culture. When in the 1950s, in nearby Italy the San Remo Festival, and later in Switzerland, the Eurovision Song Contest came into existence, Malta soon followed suit by organizing its own National Song Festival.
Rediffusion House is a Modernist building located in Gwardamanġa, limits of Pietà, Malta. Designed by the architect Carmelo Falzon, the building was completed in 1958 for Rediffusion (Malta) Ltd. It briefly housed Television Malta in the 1960s before a purpose-built Television House was constructed in 1964. The building continued to house Rediffusion until 1975, when the company's operations were taken over by Xandir Malta.
| Television |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Radio | ||