Family TV 'facing difficulties'

Family TV was off the air yesterday just over a year after it started broadcasting.

A spokesman for Melita, through which the channel transmits its programmes, told The Times: "At the moment, Melita is not receiving any content from Family Channel. We are aware that Farfetched Media Ltd, the organisation that operates Family TV, has been facing some difficulties, however we have not received any official notification either from the client or from the Broadcasting Authority of any intention to stop transmission.

"In fact, viewers who currently go on to Digital Channel 109, or Analogue 26 are being informed that Melita is not receiving a signal for the station from source."

When contacted about the fact that Family TV was not broadcasting any content, a Broadcasting Authority spokesman simply said: "We are looking into it and a statement will be issued." When asked when the statement was going to be issued, the spokesman said she did not know. Family TV went on the air on April 5, 2008 and provided a variety of programmes that target all members of the family.

At the time of the launch the station owners consisted of managing director Andrew Farrugia, Norbert Friggieri, Vince Mifsud, Martin Gauci, Steve Hoffmann and Mr Farrugia's wife Liz.