Rev. Dr Joseph Borg will be delivering a Research Seminar entitled 'A Figure/Ground Analysis of the Maltese Media System' on Friday 28 April from 12:15 to 13.30 in Room 414, MaKS Building, Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences.
Entrance is free but a place needs to be reserved by sending an email to info.maks@um.edu.mt
Students and academics are cordially invited to attend.
Abstract
This presentation proposes a pincer analysis of the Maltese media system from the perspective of the psycho-cultural approach as well as from the perspective of a systemic approach. The writings of Innis (1950, 1951), McLuhan (1962, 1964) and Ong (1967, 2002) form the basis of the psycho-cultural approach. It is proposed that the development of Malta’s media system followed a different path from that proposed by these authors. The systemic analysis follows mainly the works of Hallin and Mancini (2004) and the discussion it provoked in academia (Hallin and Mancini 2012).
Malta falls broadly within the Pluralist Polarised Model proposed but notable differences can be noticed. The combination of these two streams enables us to better understand the development of the particular characteristics of this media system.
Speaker Profile
Rev. Dr Joseph Borg has been lecturing at the University of Malta since 1987 and has published several papers and book chapters mainly about media structures in Malta and media education. He has occupied top executive positions in different media organisations in Malta; was the editor of two radio stations and a weekly newspaper, and the first Chairman of the Editorial Board of PBS Ltd.
Between 2001 and 2013 he was Government’s consultant for Audio-visual policies. He drafted both Malta’s National Broadcasting Policy as well as the media policy of the Church in Malta. He was the Head of the Media Education Research Section of IAMCR, is a member of the EU Kids online network, and represented Malta during the discussions on the AVMS directive. His contribution to the media in Malta was recognised by the media industry through several awards as well as by the state. Borg became a Member of the Order of Merit in 2002.