Economics for broadcasters

The Broadcasting Authority, in collaboration with the Foundation for International Studies, is organising a short training course on Economics for Broadcasters every Wednesday, starting on October 4 and ending on November 1, at the Foundation for International Studies, St Paul Street, Valletta.

The idea behind this training course for broadcasters is to provide lifelong learning for people involved with the media industry through the amalgamation of pedagogical studies in areas, such as social policy, social welfare, environment protection, management, economics, social sciences, etc. with media practices.

This training course will be also open to the general public, especially NGO members, with the aim of increasing media awareness and media practices of media consumers, enhancing the local media workforce by integrating media practices with NGO's expectations of good practices in media production. The Broadcasting Authority will sponsor 20 media practitioners for this training course and participants will be selected according to position held within their organisation and perceived derived benefit. Media producers, including independent broadcasters, and newsroom editors are especially targeted for these training sessions.

The tutors of the course are Professor Lino Briguglio and Dr Gordon Cordina, both well known economists with a vast experience in lecturing Economics.

The course will be spread over five sessions, on Wednesdays with each session starting at 2 p.m. and ending at 4.30. The course content will include basic microeconomic concepts, including the market mechanism (for goods, money, property, labour, etc) with reference to the Maltese situation; basic macroeconomic concepts, with reference to the Maltese economy; the structure and performance of the Maltese economy (referring to GDP, balance of payments, and money); Malta and the Lisbon Agenda (i.e. comparing Malta's indicators with the rest of the EU); and the main strengths and weaknesses of the Maltese economy.

An Ordinary Level of education is normally required for an applicant to be admitted to such courses. The fees charged for tuition, will be covered by the Broadcasting Authority. Participants attending at least 80 per cent of the sessions will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance.

Participation is through personal submission to the Broadcasting Authority and not by the respective employer. Broadcast employers will be requested to release the selected candidate for the duration of the course with no reduction in employment contract conditions. The Broadcasting Authority will apply an equal opportunities policy in its selection process.

Applications are to be sent directly to the Broadcasting Authority at 7, Mile End Road, Hamrun HMR 02, by not later than Friday, August 25 and "Economics for Broadcasters" should be written on the top left-hand corner of the envelope.