BROADCASTING CODE ON THE CORRECT USE OF THE 
MALTESE LANGUAGE ON THE BROADCASTING MEDIA [ S.L.350.10 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 350.10
BROADCASTING CODE ON THE CORRECT USE 
OF THE MALTESE LANGUAGE ON THE 
BROADCASTING MEDIA
1st October, 2002
LEGAL NOTICE 133 of 2002, as amended by Legal Notice 282 of 2002.
Citation. 
Correct Use of the Maltese Language on the Broadcasting Media.
Broadcasters’ 
duties.
2. Broadcasters shall have the duty to use the Maltese
language correctly by:
( a ) being aware of their responsibilities in safeguarding
the Maltese language;
( b ) especially in the case of journalists, keeping abreast of
developments taking place in the Maltese language,
whether written or spoken;
( c ) being conversant with other languages so that proper
translations and adjustments can be made;
( d ) assisting those persons who participate in a
programme as well as to stop a participant who abuses
the language;
( e ) being on the look out, especially in the case of
educational, informative and children’s programmes;
( f ) ensuring that the Maltese language used is of a high
level as to diction, semantics, grammar, syntax,
morphology and content;
( g ) being aware of all the aspects of the language so that
the final result will be a unified one, well linked and
comprehensible;
( h ) using with due care all neologisms which make way
into the Maltese language and where this is possible
according to the existing morphology of the Maltese
language;
( i ) using Maltese words according to their roots at least in
those cases where such words do not sound to be
excessively archaic; and
( j ) using words which are clear and easy to understand.
Stations’ 
responsibility.
Amended by:
L.N. 282 of 2002.
3. Each station shall be responsible:
( a ) to have its own consultant who is qualified in the
Maltese language and who is well-informed in
broadcasting. The said consultant is to be approved by
the Broadcasting Authority following consultation
with the  Akkademja tal-Malti . The Broadcasting
Authority shall also publish the name of such
consultant in the Gazette;
2 [ S.L.350.10
BROADCASTING CODE ON THE CORRECT USE OF THE 
MALTESE LANGUAGE ON THE BROADCASTING MEDIA
( b ) to follow the rules and directives issued by the
Akkademja tal-Malti  in so far as the use of the Maltese
language is concerned;
( c ) for the correct use of the Maltese language in every
broadcast;
( d ) to observe such condition imposed in the broadcasting
licence requiring that the Maltese language be used in
a proper manner; and
( e ) to broadcast at least one programme in each schedule
of programmes to advance in a proactive manner the
Maltese language. The station shall inform the
Authority of the date and time of such broadcast and
shall forward to the Broadcasting Authority an
electronic copy of the transmission not later than seven
days from the date of its transmission.
Responsibility of 
the Broadcasting 
Authority.
Amended by:
L.N. 282 of 2002.
4. The Broadcasting Authority shall be responsible:
( a ) to commission the  Akkademja tal-Malti  to prepare a
handbook to contain all the main elements, including a
glossary which is required to guide broadcasters.
Moreover, the Authority shall commission the
preparation of guidelines as to the proper use of the
Maltese language in programmes on subjects such as
sports, sociology, economy and other specialised
fields;
( b ) when programme monitors are employed with the
Broadcasting Authority, the Broadcasting Authority
shall ensure that they possess a high level of
understanding of the Maltese language;
( c ) from time to time to organise courses on the Maltese
language for broadcasters;
( d ) request the  Akkademja tal-Malti  to forward a list of
persons knowledgeable in Maltese who can be
consulted by broadcasting stations should any need
arise;
( e ) to publicise its language policy;
( f ) to award good practice by means of a special prize for
the use of the Maltese language;
( g ) from time to time to prepare and publish reports on the
situation of the Maltese language in the broadcasting
media; and
( h ) to assist the Malta Press Club to achieve its aims to be
an auto-regulatory body in so far as language is
concerned.
