Smash, Melita sign contract for World Cup games

All the games in this year's World Cup will be broadcast on Smash TV following a contract signed between the channel and Melita Cable, Smash Communications said yesterday.

The channel will be airing live the opening ceremony, the opening game, the semi-final games and the final. In all, 64 matches will be shown.

Apart from the matches, the station will transmit a number of discussion and analysis programmes about the World Cup.

Last month, Smash TV filed a judicial protest against the Prime Minister, the Broadcasting Authority and its chief executive Kevin Aquilina after the authority ruled that eight World Cup matches must be screened on a local terrestrial television station.

Smash Communications Ltd, which runs Smash TV, said the decision could disrupt a commercial agreement it had with Melita Cable.

The authority had expressed concern that Smash TV reaches only a limited number of receivers and had ordered Melita Cable to make arrangements with another channel to air the eight matches.

Smash had replied that it was managing, although with difficulty, to transmit its signal all over Malta and Gozo.

In its statement yesterday, Smash Communications said the channel had launched an information campaign on TV stations informing viewers in which direction they should point their antennas.

The company is working with the BA and the Malta Communications Authority to be given back repeater frequencies so that the devices which boost network signals will be put up again.