Family TV goes off the screens

Joe Fenech

Jun 6th 2009, 13:13

In "The Becky, Sur Gawdenz and Ipokriti" society that is modern Malta, this is a blessing! It's sad that in recent years, all the despairingly low teatrin tas Sala tal-Kapillan and of The Catholic Institute has been transferred to TV, and that Catering busines families have become actors, script writers and producers!

Il-populizmu Malti fl-aqwa tieghu. Worse than the ex-Soviet Union! Tal-biza!!!!!

Marion Pace

Jun 5th 2009, 19:41

@Ronnie Gauci his program had many interesting items especially crafts and for some middle age ladies and sick people it was entertaining although sometimes it was a bit too much 'alla Maltija'. I am very sorry for Karen and her colleagues, they did a good job and hope you will soon find other jobs. The Farrugia's are responisible and people like them should be investigated, brought back to malta and justice be done for what they have done to you.

Ronnie Gauci

Jun 5th 2009, 18:29

A TV station which put George tad-Doughnuts as their main presenter and image couldn't last long.

Karen Gafa

Jun 5th 2009, 17:44

For all those of you who dont bother whether the channel is on or not. Only remember the 17 employees who ended up without wages for 3 whole months just because Andrew Farrugia and his wife. We are very very sorry for what has happened to us. Andrew and Liz if you are reading this comment from where you are only remember that our income only depended on our wages and we all have families, kids, loans etc. But both of you didn t seem to bother. Thanks for treating us as a part of you FAMILY !!!!!!!!!!

Andrew Mallia

Jun 5th 2009, 15:31

@ Mark GAlea
YES it's time to get out of your TV contract with Melita - you've got till 1 July to do so since they have changed the pricing and the terms & conditions!

Martin Spiteri

Jun 5th 2009, 14:45

@ Huber I do agree with you re attacking Melita. But the fact lies that we are being robbed. I am very angry at Melita for many other reasons for example by telling me a pack of lies when subscribing to their so called mobile network. But It is a fact that I am out of context. It is true that plurality should give space for everyone , but mediocrity was rife in family tv. It was disgusting and only provoked all the aspects of HAMALLAGNI. I do not feel sorry that it closed down and I hope that the new calypso tv will also close down because they do not offer anything. Where are the news bullettins? Where are cultural programmes? Where are current Affairs? Where is entertainment? Where is the Broadcasting Authority who gives the license to such mediocrity and cheap productions? @D Farrrugia I did as you said and got a dream box, and I do not need to be held at ransom and watch the cheapest crap one could offer on these islands. Get a dream box all of you and teach mediocrity a lesson.

Jo Bartolo

Jun 5th 2009, 14:28

..... and HEY PRESTO - Family tv is no longer listed on the Melita channel line-up ...... one channel less ..... same price !

Julian Caruana

Jun 5th 2009, 13:43

@ Mr HUBER

Well said you ll get far in life.

@ all others

Get a life:::....

Marion Pace

Jun 5th 2009, 13:23

What has what the Owners (Mr. & Mrs. Farrugia) done, got to do with Melita Cable. If you are not happy with the service there are other alternatives. The only ones who lost here are those who entrusted the owners with their money, and their 16 emplyees. They should be tracked down and brought to justice!

adrian huber

Jun 5th 2009, 12:39

Why do we take any excuse to moan.

I won't go into the merits of whether Melita's package is good or not....but please someone explain to how we manage to turn family Tv's failure into a rant against Melita.

I mean really, somebody please tell how many of the commentators are blaming Melita for the closure of a channel. Melita did not take Family Tv off the air....Family Tv did. And Melita probably cannot take it off the air unless it receives an official communication from Family Tv especially if the air space is paid for in advance (I must admit I have no idea how these things operate)

Mark Galea

Jun 5th 2009, 12:37

Does the letter that Melita are sending (change in pricing) amount to a new contract (i.e. a breach in contract)? Does this change in price mean I can stop the service without any penalties?

Does anybody out there know please?

PDebono

Jun 5th 2009, 12:15

The only reason I use Melita cable is that the only television i watch is the English Premier League and melita has a monopoly over that. Where's the EU to help us in this case?

James Farrugia

Jun 5th 2009, 11:26

Family TV off-air, and at the same time Melita informs me by post that it has increased the prices of its TV packages!!!! And trying to hide it under an offer. Add to that the poor customer service....
DEAL OR NO DEAL? NO DEAL MELITA!

C. Pace

Jun 5th 2009, 11:20

For those of you who think that Melita will give a discount to its clients just becasue a TV station closed down, sorry to tell you you will be wrong. I had the package of Melita and what I received that there will be an increase in fees. Discounts do not exist at Melita.
Both Internet and TV packages at Melita are not provided through good service. I discontinued both packages becasue what supposed to be an offer on HELLO, found out to be actually paying for the service.
When phoned customer service they told me its a package and that's how things were.

Shame on you Melita!!

G Darmanin

Jun 4th 2009, 22:02

It seems that everyone in Malta knows that Family TV closed down except for the management of Melita! By now they should have realised that they only have two choices: (i) remove channel 109 or (ii) put a new channel instead of Family TV. It will be interesting to see how many days they need to wake up from their deep sleep!

stef difesa

Jun 4th 2009, 21:03

i received the same letter from melita but when i called there customer care they adviced me that if i bundle all my services together there will be no increase in the television package and also i got a discounted rate.

Lisa Cassar

Jun 4th 2009, 16:57

So Family TV has gone bust and as usual, all those involved want to pass the buck and blame someone else. Ever heard of the expression survival of the fittest? It’s a free and competitive world we live in and if a TV station doesn’t make the grade it’s useless trying to blame the carrier. The truth is that probably Family Channel didn’t have what it takes to make it, especially when compared to the dozens of other stations that are offered along with it. Get real...my TV package gives me a choice between a good number of foreign, high quality TV stations and something like Family TV. Which do you think I will choose?
Ultimately, if Mr Farrugia didn’t have enough business sense to make a success of his business venture then he has only himself to blame. No matter how many fingers are pointed in other directions it remains Mr Farrugia’s responsibility to clear up the mess.

J Camilleri Baron

Jun 4th 2009, 16:12

I’m very surprised to read all these comments about the demise of Family TV. Not because I thought the station was particularly good but because I really can’t see how some people manage to complain about everything.

Of course, it’s sad to hear about a local TV company going under but that’s the way things go. I didn’t let the lack of Family TV bother me much because I’m still getting all my favourite TV channels as usual.

I can now see all the Discovery Channels, Animal Planet and Disney Channel so I really don’t think I’ll have time to miss Family TV.

Reuben Sciberras

Jun 4th 2009, 16:06

Lately we've heard that UTV might start with it sregular transmissions again from October. I hope that it won't follow the same pathway. I have also serious concerns about the new Calypso Music TV which is practically airing hours of music non-stop with the exception of a breakfast show.

Karen Dalli

Jun 4th 2009, 16:01

Shouldn’t someone be investigating how come Andrew Farrugia, Family TV’s managing director, ended up ‘off the radar’, as another newspaper reported? Everyone seems to be wasting time on irrelevant questions but the reality is that all the employees of Family TV– not to mention their family – have been left without a clue as to where their next paycheque is coming from. It’s shameful that a company director can simply disappear without any explanations to anyone, surely there are legal obligations that he is accountable for.
And what about his commitment to the TV carrier? From what I understand this gentleman simply stopped fulfilling his contractual obligations without so much as an explanation. Who is going to make sure that his commitments to the carrier and to the employees are fulfilled? This seems like a very fish story to me. Surely if he had nothing to hide Mr Farrugia would step forward!

S. Camilleri

Jun 4th 2009, 14:42

@Brian Maloret
I sympathise... but do you know that today Melita are not alone. Just send Melita packing and go for GO or Satellite!!!

jcmicallef

Jun 4th 2009, 14:19

Not sorry (except perhaps for the program on pets)
Not surprised either.

Too many stations. Too little talent.

and probably a contracting (diminishing) market, too.

P. Mizzi

Jun 4th 2009, 14:03

It's a real pity to see any business venture close down, let alone one that tried to break new ground in the Maltese media landscape. Yes it wasn't exactly world class TV, but I'm sure some people will miss it.

I feel their downfall must have been that they targeted the lowest end of the social classes, which does not attract much advertising support. In any case, I cannot see how a private channel can ever compete with the politcal party channels head to head. These are prepared to keep operating even if at a loss. Then they do one or two "maratoni" a year and problem solved. How can you compete with that? The parties should share one channel and be forced to collaborate in that and compete on quality... but by whom? Who can bring about such a change now? It's a cushy situation that will most probably never change.

Result = crap TV, talking heads, mediocrity and little or no creativity.

E. Compagno

Jun 4th 2009, 13:44

"Mr. Farrugia's wife, Liz" .. Or how about.. "Mrs. Farrugia's husband, Andy." .. hahaha!

One would think we were past this. Like by 5 or 6 decades.

Brian Maloret

Jun 4th 2009, 12:39

While agreeing with most comments already made, I would like to know how Melita gets away with providing such poor quality programming at such a high cost to the consumer. I have a package of TV/Telephone/Internet access and mobile which costs me in excess of 100 euros per month. I have had similar packages with other media companies in different countries with have been of a higher quality at a lower cost. And the administration at Melita alsoleaves a lot to be desired. I moved apartments five months ago and yet despite telephoning, e-mailing and visiting a Melita office to inform them of my change of address they are still sending my monthly invoice to my previous address.

Joe Grima

Jun 4th 2009, 12:33

Whenever a part of media dies, whether it is a TV station, a radio station , a newspapaper or aything else within media , it is time for sadness not for jubilation. The Broadcasting Authority which is supposed to protect the public interest allowed Family to proceed with some of the poorest offers Malta has ever seen. This is not the first time. Before it there was U channel, or whatever it was called, that made viewers' lives an absolute misery with the utter mediocrity of its programmes and its presenters. That one also hit the dust.
Not all new stations are mediocre. I believe that Favourite Channel started off well and continues to improve satisfactorily. Such stations should be encouraged and supported. We still need independent alternatives to the political stations and especially to TVM - in my view, the not- so- secret weapon of the ruling Parties.
It is untrue to say that there is no more room for new TV stations. There is, but only for thematic stations that can carefully and methodically pre- judge public interest in their offer. ITV is a recent example.

Pia Zammit

Jun 4th 2009, 12:25

I'd like to echo what Tanya Briffa said. I spluttered my coffee all over my puter screen when I read that! If I were Liz Farrugia I'd be spitting nails. shame TimesOfMalta!

D. Seracino

Jun 4th 2009, 12:08

I agree!! Melita is reducing its channel line up for instance Trouble channel, Vanished and on May Cable Guide issue it was still listed!!

Now we hear that Family Ch Vanished too.

Regarding repeats.. oh my check whats taking place on Comedy Central ex Paramount Comedy, some comedies are repeated 3 times daily such as King Of Queens, and the programmes aired are repeated, over and over again!

Same applies to Discovery Channels, though interesting programmes are aired, same happens, repition of same programmes takes place. Then whats been shown for several months on Discovery Channel will be aired on Discovery Science, Discovery World etc

Ohh was going to forget Melita Movies... Same films are repeated as well some of them on a daily basis. And the prime time movies aired, sometimes their title was never heard of. Called this week to remove this movie package as I was paying for not watching it

KAzzopardi

Jun 4th 2009, 12:05

I won't go into the quality of Family TV as never had the "pleasure" of watching it, however even the other maltese stations, including main 3 leave much to be desired. As for Melita/Go nowadays there are much cheaper/better options to these two companies. Case in point Dreambox where you get hundreds of more stations for a fraction of the price. The only drawback is that you don't get the maltese stations, but then again, apart from the news which you can get on the internet/newspapers, do we really need the local stations. Talking for myself, all you hear about is politics nowadays.

D Farrugia

Jun 4th 2009, 12:04

Get a Dreambox!! Excellent stuff with hundreds and hundreds of channels!! The second i got one i forgot there was a company named Melita on the island LOL!

RMangion

Jun 4th 2009, 11:50

I was expecting this, and in fact it happened later than I expected. The first signs came immediately after the station started its operations. It had pomised new fresh programmes but it ended up being a Drama Repeat Station with very mediocre supplementary programmes. I think tat BA should closely monitor quality since this impacts negatively as well on society who shoud move on and not stay entangled in a web of past mediocrity

Tanya Briffa

Jun 4th 2009, 11:16

"Mr Farrugia's wife Liz" ???? What's this? Are we back in the 60's? Doesn't she deserve her own individual mention and Liz Farrugia? Does she exist only as a wife? Sorry, things like this bug me...

Moira Heath

Jun 4th 2009, 11:10

I agree with all the comments. Family TV was indeed amazingly poor quality when it came to programmes. I watched it for a few minutes occasionally and just had to switch channel. I hope the owners learn from their mistakes and move on to more successful ventures.

Re: channel line-up I agree. Paying so much money just to watch ad nauseum repeats of old shows has become a real bore. If it wasn't for my kid watching cartoons, I'd be very tempted to just remove everything.

Lorraine Vella

Jun 4th 2009, 11:08

I won't go discuss Family TV and say it was worse than mediocre. I just want to ask Melita if they will be giving refunds or else replace the channel, since we won't have access to this channel anymore. I have just received a letter saying that I will be getting more, but now I come to know that instead of getting more, I will be getting less. What next?

Marion Pace

Jun 4th 2009, 10:53

Its a pity that it wont be transmitting again, it was the only channel that featured crafts every day.

Those who love crafts will miss it!

Donna Calleja

Jun 4th 2009, 10:22

I also received a letter from Melita, a very nice one I must add, boasting about the 30% cheaper rates and all this but the bottom line of this letter is that the prices are going to increase and channels are decreasing. This is not about Family TV only this about the general service that we are recieving as loyal customers from Melita

Anthony Pace

Jun 4th 2009, 10:17

Goodbye and good riddance.

Family TV is just another Thorn taken out of our pathetic Maltese Television Networks.

To be honest, I don't think we should even bother, because most television series created in this island are either completely senseless or so cheaply made, they aren't convicing at all.

M A Vassallo

Jun 4th 2009, 09:48

Personally will not miss much
@ M. Galea re Melita - Not only that bills are always increasing but the channels like Living TV and BBC Prime are packed with repeats. Usually only about 1 or 2 series that are first run normally a year after it has been available abroad.

J Micallef

Jun 4th 2009, 09:14

It's pretty obvious that a limited market of 400,000 people cannot sustain 6 -8 television channels. Quality is very low as expected. Plus we also watch all the other foreign channels. The marketin/ advertising budget is limited and has to be shared between newspapers, TV, radios and the internet. It is not sustainable.

Andre' DeGabriele

Jun 4th 2009, 08:44

Let this be the first step to have mediocrity abolish itself from the below- average local tv industry! This is great news...stations like this keep the general public away from the high standards expected in a modern technological world!

Jo Bartolo

Jun 4th 2009, 08:38

well - they could start off again by getting decent / professional presenters and not a doughnut seller who says on air (and worst still, belittles a phone in viewer) that the president of Spain is Sarkozy !!!

Mark Galea

Jun 4th 2009, 08:36

@Melita
Does that mean that we get a discount now, instead of receiving letters with increasing bills (and no increase in channel line up)?

pierre borg

Jun 4th 2009, 08:32

not at all surprised....the market does not afford this amount of stations, will not be surprised if others will follow the same route. another issue is the standard of the content, i am sorry but very poor.