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Advisory team appointed
Malta: PBS sets new structure for Eurovision
Following the pressure after Malta's disappointing results in the recent editions of the Eurovision Song Contest, PBS have now taken full responsibility of the selection of future Maltese representatives by assimilating Malta Songboard. This will result in a reduction of the sum spent on Eurovision each year which amounted to about €180.000 for the organisation of the Malta Song for Europe festival and the country's participation in the contest.
The first step towards the new structure has been taken as the Maltese broadcaster have proceeded to appoint a new advisory team comprising of local professionals with a great deal of experience in the contest. The Eurosong Advisory team appointed this week consists of: Dr Isabelle Gatt who is a member of the new Board of Directors of PBS and a lecturer in Creative and Expressive Arts Education at the University of Malta. Ms Gatt has served as board member of St. James Cavalier and the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts. Mr Martin Gauci, secretary of former Maltasong Board, who has been a part of the Maltese Eurovision Delegation on six different occasions is also a member of the board.
The other two members of the team are quite well known to Eurofans as they have had extensive TV exposure and involvement in the coverage of the contest. Mr Deo Grech is the president of OGAE Malta and well known TV host. He has been producing and presenting the popular Eurovision Fever show on One TV for the past three years as well as many local contests. Deo has reported from location during the past four contests. Last but not least, is Mr Frederick Zammit, Head of Programmes for NET TV and chairperson for the Konkors Kanzunetta Indipendenza, has been involved in the local media for the past 12 years. Since 2003, he has been producing the Lejn il-Eurovision TV show which focuses on the country's participations in the Eurovision Song Contest. Frederick has covered the three last contests from Athens, Helsinki and Belgrade for local media.
The new team's first assignment is to issue the rules and regulations for the upcoming local Junior EuroSong 2008 selections.
Related polls
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wow! Mr. Deo Grech is so succesful in Malta 
Bravuuuuuuuuuu
Well, in 2001 they had given 12 points to Estonia who won.
I don't think that the fact that they haven't given 12 pts to an eastern country since, means anything. Greece has always given 12 pts to Cyprus, then a 12 to Finland and the last 2 years 12 pts to eastern countries...and most of our 10 pts during the 'Cyprus years' went to eastern countries..but it doesn't mean we don't vote western countries on purpose. I'm sure the same goes for Malta.
@Mina:
for me Greece, Cyprus and all the scandinavian countries are very very western countries
It's not like Malta gives 12 points to western countries every year. In the last 6 years they have given 12 points to Greece, Cyprus, Iceland, Switzerland, Sweden, and the Uk...2 scandivanian countries, 2 western countries and 2 mediterranean countries...pretty balanced votes I would say.
And now to Malta's entries:
for me the absolute, the best entry ever was the song "Vertigo" from last year performed by Oliver Lewis. I loved this song from the very first moment i heard it: passionate, a love song with a great rchestration. I supported this song with all my heart and all my votes on the semi...but to my big disappointment it did not make it to the final :-( 1 year later, i watched Olivia's performance once more, and i guess her vocals on the semi final was very weak and the song lst some of its power. I would have loved to see this one winning, and i had cmmitted myself prior to the contestr, that if Malta would win the ESC 2007, i would travel to Malta for thr ESC 2008..Anyway a strong moment for Malta the 2007 entry with a very disappointing result...Another big moment for Malta and a possible winning maltese entry was the very good "Angel", sung very beautifully by Chiara. But Chiara seems to have a ind of bad luck with the ESC. Twice she stumbled on big and shiny performers, 1998 Dana International and 2005 Helena Paparizou..I guess if she tries for a 3rd time, she will encounter another big star, ending again 2nd or 3rd. I would honestly love to see Malta winning the ESC, and i hope next byear they will send a bombastic and impressive song and a good staging. Good luck to Malta
@Johny K.:
well, you gave me the best arguments of my point: Malta gave its highest points to typical western countries..thanks for the help :-)
I refuse to think that the songs which end up at the bottom of the scoreboard are bad. Last year for instance none of my favourites were in Top 16 (OK Hungary was good) 
Thanks Jonny for supporting "Hero"
Well Mina…
When we have definitions or terms then we have absolute meanings (like Art)
Objectivity is how concentrated one can meet those definitions or terms of a meaning free of personal likes or dislikes. Our disability to achieve “absolute” does not suggest that a term is dismissed. For the same reason we have “professionals”. There are certain criteria to call someone “professional”. They ought to judge in objective spirit and therefore trying to achieve what “absolute” defines.
The fact that you say “in my opinion” means that you are balanced and well aware of what you know and what you do not. Shows respect also.
Mina
Well it was such a stereotypical eurovision song, it had big colourful clothes, it was infectiously catchy and it was just good fun . . . . . .it was soooooo eurovision!!! Although surprisingly I don't think the eurovision voters always like eurovision songs . . . . thats what I mean!
I think I understand now. You can never tell with eurovision viewers.
I don't get your meaning..LOL
Mina
I like the Spanish 2005 song aswell, but I think it was a bit too "eurovision" for eurovision, if you get my meaning!
Yep, the placing doesn't matter. I still remember in 2005 the Spanish song, Brujeria, and not only I remember it but it's one of the few esc songs I still keep on my pc...but it had placed 21st...quite unfair in my opinion, it was such a lively, catchy song. I still can't believe we had given them 0 points and we gave 8 points to chiqui 
Vincent:
Mina is right, whether a song is good or bad is a matter of opinion, not whether it does well at eurovision or not. Lets take 2006 for an example: Malta gave 12 points to Switzerland, although Switzerland only finished 17th place. Does that mean the Swiss song was bad???? I don't think so, in my opinion the Swiss song deserved top ten.
The same applies to 2008. Malta gave 12 to Sweden & although Sweden only managed 18th place, I think it deserved top 5, even to win the competition.
Sorry but, your arguement has no grounds
I don't think there's such a thing as objectivity in art. Even professionals aren't objective..we are all influenced by personal taste. That's why I always try to say 'in my opinion'.
Absolute spirit can say that. That is why art and values etc still survive. We have some default values set and everything is subject to comparison. Hence one can say if something is bad, good, better, worse, beautiful, ugly etc. It just takes some acknowledgment and a lot of observation to judge in objective spirit.
Vincent,
who can say if a song is good or bad? You find Believing bad, I find it good. Some people loved Hero, others didn't.
Personally I didn't see anything strange in Malta's votes, I mean, Hero was a favourite, no matter if it didn't work out that way in the end.
They gave 10 points to Ukraine, 8 points to Russia, 7 to Latvia, 5 to Georgia...those are hardly western countries...LOL
@Johny K. and Mina:
wow! you really impressed me with your information on the voting habits of Malta. But still you did not convince me much: i still have the impression that Malta gives too many points to songs that are not that good, just because they come from West, at least in the last 2 years
Stockholm calling
hehe yeah they guy does remind me of Elton John! Because hes just so impossibly camp!!
Jonny,
I also loved the Icelandic video I remember the reactions when esctoday posted it. Some members thought that it was brilliant and very Nordic, others thought it was just horrible. Didn't you say that the guy reminded you of Elton John?
Stockholm,
I'm glad we agree on one song...lol
I really liked Turkey too 
Azerbaijan gave me a headache, Bosnia made me go ,
and the UK, well, it was ok, but nothing I would remember long enough to vote for.
Mina:
"Northerners weren't impressed with Greece either. I really haven't understood what kind of music they like to hear..LOL"
Looking at the scoreboard I think it's obvious that the Northerners like each other At least they liked Norway, Iceland and Denmark who got top marks from the other Nordic countries. Besides, Finland gave 12/8 points to Russia/Israel. Sweden and Norway gave 10 points to Bosnia.
My personal favourites were Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bosnia and The UK
OMG does this mean they will finally send something good?
Northerners weren't impressed with Greece either. I really haven't understood what kind of music they like to hear..LOL
We got 1 point from Sweden, 0 points from Norway, Iceland and Finland, and 3 points from Denmark. Russia got 0 from Sweden, 5 from Norway, 0 from Denmark and Iceland and 10 from Finland.
Mina,
I liked Lordi and Sertab the first time I heard them, Deli too On the other hand it took a long time before I accepted Molitva.
"Believe" hasn't grown on me yet but I haven't given up hope. Great performance though. It seems Northerners weren't that impressed with Russia and Ukraine. They got 0 points from Sweden.
I think my favourite video clip had to be "this is my life", the video is just so clever and funny!! And eurovision needs a bit more innocent fun!
Some songs grow on me, too. The Lordi song and Molitva never did but some other songs from eurovision did. The Sertab song which I didn't like at all, I came to like after I listened to it some more. Same as Deli this year..the 1st time I heard it I was like what's this..LOL. But by the 5th time, I was hooked The video helped too, I think they had one of the best videoclips this year (together with Believe but I knew the story behind Believe so I was more touched than impressed).
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