NEWS | Wednesday, 20 February 2008

AN to change name of proposed cable TV station after BA licenses another station with the same name

Charlot Zahra

Far-right party Azzjoni Nazzjonali (AN) has applied for a licence to open a television station on cable. However the station will have to change its proposed name after the BA had already licensed a television station with the same name, BusinessToday has learnt.
On 16 January 2008, AN leader Josie Muscat and deputy leader Angelo Xuereb registered a company called Family Channel Limited.
According to MFSA records, the company’s two shareholders, directors, and legal representatives are Muscat and Xuereb respectively, while Tonio Farrugia is company secretary.
The company’s registered offices – 74, The Strand, Sliema – are at the same address where AN’s headquarters are located.
However, the name chosen for the channel has already been taken up by the upstart television station operated by Far-Fetched Media Limited which was granted a licence by the BA to operate on cable television.
On 17 January 2008, the BA approved a cable television licence to Far-Fetched Media Limited – owned by former Smash TV general manager Andrew Farrugia and his wife – to operate ‘Family Television Network’.
The similarity between the two names led observers in the media industry to suspect that there was a connection between the two companies. However speaking to Business Today yesterday, AN leader Josie Muscat denied that that there was any connection between the party and the television station owned by Far-Fetched Media.
Muscat said that AN had applied almost a month ago for a television station under the name “Family Channel”, however the BA had in the meantime issued a licence to Far-Fetched Media Limited with the same name.
“As a result, AN will now have to change the station’s name,” Muscat told BusinessToday. He would not, however, reveal the party television station’s new name.
He complained that BA was “dragging its feet”, postponing the granting of the licence to AN “week after week” because of some reason or another.
On his part, BA chief executive Kevin Aquilina confirmed to BusinessToday that on 21 January 2008, Family Channel Limited had applied for a cable television station licence with the Authority – five days after approving a licence to the Family Television Network.
“The Authority has already considered this application in its meetings, has requested Family Channel Limited additional information and clarification which it has just received and will consider further the application during the next meeting.
“No licence has as yet been granted. The Broadcasting Authority will approve the licence after it is satisfied that all the legal requirements are fulfilled,” Aquilina told BusinessToday yesterday.
Company records show that Far-Fetched Media Limited’s two directors and shareholders are Andrew Farrugia and his wife, Elizabeth, with 5,000 shares each.
The relative application was filed with the BA thirteen days before it was granted, on 4 January 2008.
Famiily Television Network was scheduled to open on 29 February 2008 providing family-oriented, educational and entertainment programming complete with a comprehensive news service containing programming which is appealing to all members of the family.
However, Andrew Farrugia told BusinessToday yesterday that the launch date might move in view of the March 8 general elections: “We may be sticking to our target date of the 29th but then again we might move it to the week of the election or after. We are not sure yet.”

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