PBS programmes on the internet

Public Broadcasting Services and di-ve.com have teamed up to offer most of the national television station`s programme content over the internet.

Details were given at a press conference at the Corinthia Palace Hotel yesterday on the streaming of TVM over the internet through the di-ve portal.

Some programmes will be streamed live while others will be available on demand after their broadcast, such as `Waltzing Matilda` which is especially popular with immigrants, and the 8 p.m. news bulletin.

Terranet commercial services manager Gordon Dimech explained that live TV streaming was available even to dial-up internet users.

However, to obtain an acceptable level of quality, one would have to opt for at least a 512 kbps connection, which is available over ADSL.

As new streaming technology becomes available, the quality of streaming at slightly higher bandwidths was expected to reach DVD quality, Mr Dimech said.

PBS chairman Anthony Tabone said the national station acknowledged the importance of the convergence between telecommunications and television.

PBS`s partnership with di-ve started some years ago when the station passed on the teletext operations to them, and later started streaming Radio Malta 2 over the internet.

Terranet Ltd chairman Maurice Zarb Adami said that di-ve`s alliance with PBS was important.

"Our ability to provide a wide range of quality local content is essential to our strategy to have more users come online and utilise our different delivery channels."

di-ve.com is Malta`s leading internet portal with over 70,000 user visits per week.

It is operated by di-ve Ltd, a subsidiary of Terranet Ltd, and the digital interactive content arm of the Maltacom Group.