Censorship laws revamp announced
Stitching may now be staged
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
The government this afternoon announced its intention to carry out a major overhaul of the much-criticised censorship laws affecting stage performances and films.
A three-week public consultation process has been launched.
Tourism and Culture Minister Mario de Marco said the new proposed laws fulfilled the aspirations of the artistic community. He regretted that the current laws may have failed some people in the past.
He explained that the proposed amendments will move towards a system of self-regulation, whereby the producer/director and in some instances, the venue, will be responsible for setting the age classification of a performance.
The amendments also propose that the cinema and stage regulations will be transferred from the police laws to the law which regulates the Malta Council for the Arts.
The Film and Stage Classification Board will be abolished but there will be a Theatre Guidance Board which will publish age classification guidelines and suggest criteria to help producers take their own decisions.
The new board will also receive and discuss complaints if patrons feel that a production does not match the rating given to it. Should the board uphold the request, the board will recommend a new rating to the producer and he will be required to advertise it along with his own rating so that the people can be duly informed of what the board considers to be an appropriate rating.
With regard to cinema, a board of Film Age Classification will issue ratings, but will be obliged to give reasons for its ratings and if they are considered inadequate, an appeal may be filed.
Adrian Buckle, the producer of the banned play Stitching, was present for the announcement, held at St James Cavalier and thanked the minister for his decision. He said the play would be staged after the new regulations came into force.
Full details of the proposals can be found at http://doi.gov.mt/classification.asp
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Joe Fenech
Jan 18th, 21:25
@ Mr Kevin Wain
As much as Norman Lowell might have been clumsy at times, he has had the guts to touch on very important social, philosophical and ethical issues and has highlighted the double standards of modern society and even more, Malta.
One has to accept that society is diverse and that everyone has a right to contribute.
Mr T Zahra
Jan 19th, 11:00
The fact that you are even attempting to defend Norman Lowell says it all !!!!
Joe Fenech
Jan 19th, 13:53
Mr Zahra
Someone who's attempting to silence others says it all too !
Joe Xuereb
Jan 18th, 12:27
In a nutshell - Malta is a European Western democracy, a fully paid-up member of the European Community, a secular State. And yet, the Catholic Church - the Maltese one to be more specific; and that is something to be reckoned with - rules the roost by fear and mixed-bag promises. Hence a beleaguered 'I-wouldn't-want-to-be-in-his-shoes' Lawrence Gonzi PM decides he can not take decisions that will raise the hairs on the back of the Church's neck and throws the divorce(or whatever) hot potato to the people, like a putrid piece of meat to the dogs. They win by a narrow margin, the ayes. The nays are strong too, no doubt, and they would have the island frozen in time, pious and backward looking. Divorce or not, a good marriage, a truly good marriage will survive. Except in some cases at least, zooming in too closely is not advisable.
Suddenly, this hot ticket of a censorship laxity is going through the turnstiles. To many it will be like a sly resisted laxative,but hopelessly so, and to the rest, a welcome release from constipation. Dualism, black or white, is deplorable. But, when it comes to decisions that concern morality, the odious one size fits all, applies. The Church does not believe in nuances, in grey areas. It is rigid with no leeway for reasoning. Not allowed. And the PM is dead against easing the censorship laws; but what can he do? if he is to survive at all? Well, he has to compromise, painfully.
Yes Mr. Casha(yesterday, 17:38), a six-monthly election would be a good idea. To clear the backlog, make it quarterly, dear.
Joseph Grima
Jan 18th, 11:03
Panic stations! PN is obviously leafing through Joseph Muscat's book to try and jump the gun on him as the day of reckoning rapidly approaches. After 25 years of arrogant conservatism , this sudden flash of liberalism sounds and feels absolutely sham. Roll on vote of non confidence. Let's rid ourselves of these meddlesome priests
Joseph Grima
Jan 18th, 10:58
Panic stations! PN is obviously leafing through Joseph Muscat's book to try and jump the gun on him as the day of reckoning rapidly approaches. After 25 years of arrogant conservatism , this sudden flash of liberalism sounds and feels absolutely sham. Roll on vote of non confidence.
B Attard
Jan 18th, 09:48
Now that you got cornered like a frightened rat you are trying to act.
C. Borg
Jan 18th, 09:04
Why now? Just because an election is round the corner?
George Azzopardi
Jan 18th, 08:31
Remember all that PL favours this law and so are we now going to try and push in laws which PL favours? Come on GonziPN what do you take us citizens for?
Victor Vella
Jan 18th, 08:09
Ilkom reqdin 25 sena issa qomtu. Issa troppo tardi. Il-habel scappa.
Joe E Galea
Jan 18th, 08:06
Qed tara kemm huma biezla tal-PN? Tghidx kemm ha nibdew nisimaw bi stqarrijiet ta x'se jsir u xejn Genna ta' l-art se nsiru f'daqqa wahda. Min jaf ghaliex?
Ramon Casha
Jan 18th, 07:21
The email address given on that page does not work.
Joe Fenech
Jan 18th, 07:18
Who cares about Stitching? As if that's the most important thing the country needs:
What about Norman Lowell who has been silenced?
What about certain newspapers which censor ever comment that has some harsh criticism on the government or on EFA....? The list is endless!
What about the case where a certain ex-president wanted to send someone to jail just because he called them President Lumumba (who was simply an African leader)?
What about religious indoctrination is schools?
What about removing crucifixes from public places?
Want to win the election? Then investigate the corruption and the nepotism that have killed the country.
Charles J. Buttigieg
Jan 18th, 08:46
Dream on Adrian. This administration has only a few weeks of life left.
Kevin Wain
Jan 18th, 10:05
Mr. Fenech, I believe that we ought to make a distinction here. I will explain: I am in favour of ending censorship laws, but Norman Lowell and racism is a completely different issue than ending censorship in the Arts. Art must be taken for what it is i.e. an expression intended as fiction, sometimes for a more sophisticated audiences, but not always. Hate speech on the other hand is a different issue altogether and, this all lies in what it is intended for i.e. to instill hate in populist manner, which could ultimately lead to violence. Liberty is like a national economy you take some of it from some to give to others. Lowell's case is that of restraining Lowell for garanteeing the safety and liberties of minorities that happen to be living in our country. On religious indoctrination I agree with you utterly. As I see it, what we should teach in our schools is respect towards different religions, opinions and, ethnic origin as well. As far as crucifixes are concerned I do not see why they or any other religious symbol ought to be removed from classrooms. Religions could be comforting for some people. Why not respect them and all others?
Adrian Buckle
Jan 18th, 06:45
Thank you, Dr De Marco.
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 18th, 06:03
This is only the launch of a consultation process. So I take it they will leave everything until after the election. You launch a consultation process to be seen to be doing something even if you are doing absolutely nothing.
R Axisa
Jan 18th, 05:24
Donnhom qeghdin iqumu minn raqda twila twila ........... Min jaf ghaliex????
Mr M Spiteri
Jan 18th, 00:22
jaqaw dan qam mir raqda?
Joe Grech
Jan 17th, 23:36
First the PN did not do anything about this problem for decades. Now they are trying to please literally EVERYBODY....even throwing the issue into the lap of the public, the theatre Guidance Board, even patrons and the producer.
Is this the kind of management this administration can offer?
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 17th, 23:27
Now the Maltese are mature enough to take their own decisions! They are always mature when an election approaches. That makes me laugh. The PN opposed divorce. They have dragged their feet with gay and lesbian rights.
John Cassar
Jan 17th, 22:26
Why does it always take an election to transform the party from a conservative hardline ossidised 'nincompoop' type to a Chrisitan Democrat liberal mix?
MARIO ZERAFA
Jan 17th, 22:20
Dr DeMarco seems to be cheerful and very much in the limelight oflate. Will this be the next move to hold on to power for another year by putting Dr DeMarco as leader to revange the status which was taken from his father by Fenech Adami?. This law today is in realty irrelivant for many but it should have been in place many years ago when it was really needed. All these action show the state of panic within the PN to hold on to power while trying to impliment some of what Dr Debono has been saying on end. Will Dr Franco Debono be convinced to support GonziPN if DeMarco becomes leader and start to include his wishes?
pat muscat
Jan 17th, 21:33
There is a whiff (of change) in the air; is it because as Dr Franco Debono said, the Minister responsible for censorship, was incompetent at changing the censorship law? It seems that at GonziPN incompetence is rewarded while thrift is punished!
Francis Coquelin
Jan 17th, 22:30
Did you read that on the cereal box during breakfast?
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 17th, 21:11
Self-regulation and further evidence of incompetence and an inability to introduce effective legislation.
Joe Fenech
Jan 18th, 07:20
These are desperate trying to rake in a couple of votes by re-arranging deckchairs on the Titanic !
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 17th, 21:07
This is the party that says it respects gay men and lesbians. As Debono has pointed out, it does not even protect human rights. So much for the token gays in the PN.
Jonathan Camilleri
Jan 17th, 21:19
X'ghandu x'jaqsam Mr Chetcuti?
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 17th, 23:20
Ma nistaqx infissirlek dak li hi car u ovvju!
Carmelo Aquilina
Jan 17th, 21:06
if you are serious stop the presecution of the auhtor and editor of Realta !
c p agius
Jan 17th, 20:46
confessional and conservative? NOt when it's election time....
Mark Brincat
Jan 17th, 20:35
DeMarco will probably be the new PN leader in a few weeks.
E. Vassallo
Jan 17th, 20:43
Why a few weeks...the election is not so near after all!!!!
fred fellon
Jan 18th, 04:33
That Job is already promised to ADAMI"s SON
Paul Giordimaina
Jan 18th, 08:58
As being a Nationalist it doesent matter Good luck to him
Joe Fenech
Jan 17th, 20:19
Troppo tardi !
Mario, your party made Malta bankrupt (no doubt, PN will starting shooting its mouth off about this when PL will be in office); turned it into a Taliban country where people dressed as church figures were taken to court ; the entrepreneur thugs took over; ecology has been destroyed and Malta has been disfigured for good; you ruined Valletta with those stupid projects you imposed on Renzo Piano...
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 17th, 20:10
Is de Marco the new PM?
M Saliba
Jan 17th, 20:03
Fejn kont meta ittella' student żagħżugħ il-qorti fuq bicca storja fittizja bit- theddida li jista' jmur il-ħabs. Tajjeb tiskuża ruħhek miegħu wkoll.
R Vassallo
Jan 17th, 20:03
Citrus fruit is more important than Democracy!
Karl Consiglio
Jan 17th, 20:02
Ara daqqa wahda bil-panic kemm qeghdin jaghmlu affarijiet nice
Jonathan Camilleri
Jan 17th, 21:20
The benefits of crisis management in a constitution...haha
David Caruana
Jan 17th, 19:43
Too late PN! We will keep reminding the people that PN is a confessional and conservative party.
The PN threw a very personal issue, divorce, to the public vote! And the party leader wanted even to control how a couple live their conjugal life!
It's too late to come out as some sort of liberals, because you are NOT
Mr T Zahra
Jan 17th, 19:16
|What an unbelievable sad bunch of readers you all are....Nothing was done in the past and you complained, something is being down now and you blame the election....I have one thing to say to those people who spenmd their lives complaining......WAKE UP, SMILE and GET A LIFE. What was long overdue is Mario De Marco being appointed Minister of Tourism and Culture.
John M Grima
Jan 18th, 00:44
Agree....agree.
Charles Micallef
Jan 17th, 18:57
.............finally they found time for action!
Julian Cassar
Jan 17th, 18:54
Maybe there is still hope for the long overdue Freedom of Information Act to become operational, not to mention the Whistle-Blower Act.
Jeffrey Borg
Jan 17th, 18:52
Now the elves are moving the next rant: if it is good it’s because of Franco , so why the hurry would I ask?By their standards Joseph was hibernating while Gonzi was having a nap.
It’s good to have classification and sufficient ‘warnings’ ,( instead of censorship )about the content of published material and theatre.
Kurt Galea Pace
Jan 17th, 18:51
Well done Mario...
John M Grima
Jan 17th, 18:44
The right man for the job. Better late than never!
Mark Piscopo
Jan 17th, 18:43
This is a great achievment! About time li nqumu mir-raqda... Thanks Dr Franco Debono
m. borg (slm)
Jan 17th, 18:30
Now whose your daday. Prosit it had to be Franco to get things moving. Well knowing gonzipn it will be ages before this law i gets to the final reading but it is always a start.
Now how about the party finacing law containing a clause that any contribution must be reciepted, being €1 or €100.000 and more?
vella m
Jan 17th, 18:30
The church is going to be very angry :#
Mr Clayton Mangion
Jan 17th, 22:55
The church is always ANGRY ...
Joe Xuereb
Jan 17th, 18:28
I do not know if Stitching was produced anywhere before it was foisted on a Maltese audience. In which case, intentionally or not, it was a good move by the producers. It is not often a 'salacious' piece gets so much free publicity. And where else but in Malta does anything controversial create such a furore?
Gratuitous and nasty presentations of anything have always existed. Unfortunately, there is a demand and withholding presentation is practically impossible. They are potentially dangerous as, falling into the 'wrong' hands - as in someone who does not have the ability, never mind the desire, to process what is viewed/heard/read, abilities that would leave another, more sophisticated view, intact.
With that out of the way, I think, indeed I know, that scripts that sound too raunchy at first glance need to be read in context (instances of this have always existed since classical times). If, as has been the case here in Malta, and even Hollywood until not so very long ago, language/imagery is cleansed so that it is acceptable and inoffensive to all and sundry, the situation would be laughable not theatre. The Human Condition as presented on a stage/screen would lose a lot/indeed would be reduced to an audience jeering with laughter and clamouring, 'I want my money back' if presented in a sanitized form.
I think that censorship is not only about what one allows and what one censors. It is, these days, mainly about educating people to learn to look and process in an adult way. It IS a tall order and some will not be amenable (but that is the case with anything one may care to discuss). We have to start somewhere. Strict censorship for its own sake, because out of context even I can see its potential to offend, is not an option any more.
The impasse with all this is that a seasoned theatre-goer might decide not to want to see human anguish on stage, with or without pornographic scripts/productions. But give enough publicity about the nature of the piece and the wrong type of people will throng to see it. I am not sure there is any way round that one I'm afraid.
Ramon Casha
Jan 17th, 17:38
If it takes an election to get dormant governments moving again, maybe we should have an election every 6 months or so.
Carmel Cilia
Jan 17th, 17:29
B'dejna nilghaqu pero iridu jghaglu ghax il-gelat kwazi inhall.
Michael Magri
Jan 17th, 17:26
Haaaa Haaaaa Haaaaaa.... About Time ......!!! VIVA FRANCO TAGHNA...!!
Affarijiet bhal dawn aktar jikkonvincuni kemm ghandu ragun l-Onorevoli Franco Debono, u kemm ghandu tort GonziPN +.....!!!!!
Francis Coquelin
Jan 17th, 18:41
Good to see that you finally got around to trying out the keyboard on your computer. Now don't be a shy neighbour. Keep these pearls of wisdom coming.
Ramon Casha
Jan 17th, 17:26
Wow, things are suddenly moving as the election approaches. Well done for this initiative, and well done to the many people who have kept up the pressure on the authorities.
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 17th, 17:23
M'ghandux x'ghamel il-gvern, il vera tad-dahk.
john vella
Jan 17th, 17:11
To all those who are finally trying to: (1) listen to the people (2) get things done. (3) Run, run, run (4) Ignore those of the inner circle. I say there is no rush the people have decided and all this staging is only waste of time.
Those inside parliament can do all the time in the world talking to convince themselves. Come election the people will only take a few seconds to vote and clear the air.
MALCOLM SEYCHELL
Jan 17th, 17:10
Thank god the election is coming soon
Francis Coquelin
Jan 17th, 18:29
I'm really looking forward to reading that avant garde play of yours now that the censorship laws are to be scrapped.
Morana Axisa
Jan 17th, 17:00
Kmieni eeeeee
Francis Coquelin
Jan 17th, 17:22
I'm sure the current censorship laws must be absolutely devastating for an avid consumer of local art and culture such as you undoubtedly are.
Ian Zammit
Jan 17th, 16:52
About time! But what about articles and fictional stories? Are people like Mark Camilleri and Alex Vella Gera going to be released from prosecution or does the government consider us only mature enough to watch 18-rated plays and films but not mature enough to read a fictional story with colourful language?
Jen Fenech
Jan 17th, 16:45
aħjar nidħku...
Angelo Vassallo
Jan 17th, 16:44
Mr Eric Gahan
Why it is so Laughable?.
Francis Coquelin
Jan 17th, 17:31
Clearly the prospect of an end to censorship has sent him into a state of delirium.
C Gerada
Jan 17th, 16:37
I Smell Fish !
John Borg
Jan 17th, 16:32
ilna li nehhejniha c-censura daqs kemm hawn min jghid cucati. jekk tnehhiha ghax ha titnehha, jekk ma titnehhiex ghax ma nehhejtuhies. kulhadd jeqred fuq ic-cucati f'dal pajjiz. ara pajjizi ohra, in nies inkwitati fuq l-impjiegi u m'ghandhomx mohh dawn il-hmerijiet! Nahseb aqnas flus ghat tejatru m'ghandhom!
Christopher Scerri
Jan 17th, 16:28
WHY NOW? all of a sudden everything is a priority!!
Mark Anthony Fenech
Jan 17th, 16:26
At long last!
Mr Eric Gahn
Jan 17th, 16:25
Laughable to say the least.
Ronald Cauchi
Jan 17th, 16:20
Do i smell a rat ....ooops i meant an election?
Joe E Galea
Jan 17th, 16:17
X'kumbinazzjoni issa se jnehhu c-censura!! Min jaf ghaliex!!
George Azzopardi
Jan 17th, 16:15
This seems to be a priority!!!