It was a great satisfaction to read the item 'Children and the vulnerable should be "protected" on TV' (The Sunday Times, February 14).

Having worked hand in hand with the Commissioner for Children on such issues in the last few years, I have become increasingly aware of the importance of how children are portrayed in the media, particularly in dealing with potentially sensitive material.

The portrayal of children in the media must be undertaken responsibly and diligently, with producers ever mindful of the inherent vulnerability of children, and the potential impact of their choice of subject matter.

The Commissioner for Children has worked closely with the Broadcasting Authority over the past few years to promote socially responsible and positive broadcasting by all stations, in line with the aims of both the Commissioner and the Authority.

This joint collaboration began with the term of Sonia Camilleri (leading to the publication of Programmi ta' Kwalità għat-Tfal), and continued with Carmen Zammit, the present Commissioner for Children.

The entities and professionals concerned are currently working on revising the guidelines on the portrayal of children in programmes directed at adult audiences. I sincerely hope that these guidelines will help broadcasting entities to be vigilant in their portrayal of children in their programmes, and to undertake this in a socially and ethically responsible manner.