Former Maltasong chairman Grace Borg has filed a judicial protest against state television, claiming a breach of her exclusive rights over Eurosong winner Thea Garrett.

Ms Borg, and a co-owner of Exotique Record Label, Andrea Milana said they had signed a contract for the exclusive management of the artist, who will represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest with her song My Dream.

They claimed that Public Broadcasting Services, as organiser of Maltasong festival, breached their exclusive rights when it asked Ms Garrett's management to concede certain rights.

Before PBS took over the festival's organisation, the former Maltasong board would reach an agreement over certain intellectual property rights with the management, the author and the composer of the winning song, Ms Borg and Ms Milana said, adding that Ms Garrett's management was asked to concede rights that were theirs only.

PBS, they said, gave certain rights to third parties, such as to telephone company Go, to use the winning song as a mobile ring tone. Also, a contract was signed with a foreign recording label to include the song My Dream in an album that would be sold internationally.

The protest was filed in the First Hall of the Civil Court.

Lawyer Patrick Galea and legal procurator Sharon Mizzi filed the protest.

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