Media coverage for last month’s Valletta Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has been valued at over €500 million, according to marketing firm M&C Saatchi.

The agency, commissioned by the government to carry out a media value report, estimated that the two summits resulted in over 19,000 mentions of Malta in online and broadcast features.

An audit detailing the costs of organising the two summits is due to be presented to the Prime Minister in the New Year, but the government is estimating the figure to be between €10 and €12 million.

The government’s head of communications said during a press briefing yesterday that a portion of the costs will continue benefiting the island, such as the security training provided and the embellishment works.

The agency examined 275,000 news websites and 1,800 transcripts of TV and radio broadcasts.

Aneil Bedi from M&C Saatchi. Photo: Steve Zammit Lupi

“The issue of migration is very politically charged so it’s more likely that you’re going to get a negative tint to the article,” Aneil Bedi from M&C Saatchi said.

“But that has nothing to do with Malta. The two summits – held in the space of a few days – establish Malta as preeminent position in Europe to organise events of such import.”

Media coverage of the Valletta Summit is estimated to have garnered the equivalent of €180 million in advertising while CHOGM coverage totalled an estimated €369 million. The equation assumed that on average 2.5 per cent of the unique visitors on the site will see the article and that the monetary value is about €0.31.

“The events will give tourism industry a boost and help businesses and conventions,” said Mr Bedi.