PBS still awaits Eurosong funds

PBS has still not received a promised €45,000 budget for the Malta Eurosong Festival which is due to take place in a fortnight.

PBS chairman Clare Thake Vassallo said yesterday: "PBS is underfunded and I hope we're not expected to organise it for free."

PBS is keen to have the money in hand so it can deliver its strategy for the winning song, even though it recognises that the funds will not go a long way.

Last year, Maltasong chairman Robert Abela said before stepping down that €45,000 was not enough to export a good product to the Eurovision.

Ms Thake Vassallo and PBS chief executive Albert Debono are conscious of the situation and the need to rope in sponsors, so they are reluctant to publicly commit on the plan of action - be it a video or a blitz promotion tour abroad - before the winner is announced and the budget is in hand.

Mr Debono is keen to employ a specialist company that can handle the prepare the singer professionally in time for the Eurovision in Moscow in May.

In a bid to generate funds, PBS has drastically reduced ticket prices for the local festival and is hoping to lure 5,000 people to the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre in Ta' Qali with the promise of a good show.

"We're trying to recreate the Eurovision atmosphere by handing out whistles and balloons at the door, while ensuring the show looks great on television," Mr Debono said.

Even though government funds pumped into the festival are relatively low, there are still those who believe the festival is a waste of money and Malta should stop taking part. However, Mr Debono stressed that the festival was a good platform to expose local talent.

Ms Thake Vassallo added that the Eurovision website is the third most accessed in the world on the final night, which means all eyes are on that stage.

For the past three years, Maltasong has been bashed for the island's dismal ranking. Does PBS now feel the pressure to deliver or face the usual annual rant?

Mr Debono said: "It's the coach that gets fired, never the players. Same with the contest; if we do well the singer gets the credit and if we place badly we'll get the flak - it's just human nature."

The regulations are also going to be amended on an international level, and in March, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) will seek to abolish the current system of 100 per cent televoting.

Ms Thake Vassallo said in all probability, during the heads of delegation meeting in March, the EBU will choose to have a system where on the final night the winning Eurovision song will be chosen through 50 per cent televoting and 50 per cent jury. Full televoting will be retained for the two semi-finals.

This is intended to minimise the neighbourly bloc voting, which has become a bone of contention in recent years and split the festival into east and west.

Is PBS concerned that this decision will see the return of cut-throat backroom lobbying to secure votes from the different juries? "I am sure the EBU has learnt from the process and will not walk back into the issue of backroom lobbying. But then again, I'm not a prophet and we'll just have to wait and see how it works," Ms Thake Vassallo said.

Malta Eurosong 2009

The final and super-final of the Malta Eurosong are both being held on February 7, with the winner expected to be announced at 12.30 a.m., according to PBS chief executive Albert Debono.

Twenty finalists are vying to represent Malta in Moscow and on the night, five foreign judges, two of whom are previous Eurovision winners, will shortlist these entries to three songs. Their brief is to focus on the talent, the voice and the song.

These three songs will then be presented to the public, who will choose the winner through 100 per cent televoting.

Rueben Zammit, the show's executive producer, said the Yada dancers will open the evening, followed by a rundown of the 20 songs. The evening includes performances by the UK and Turkish entries, and by Rifffs, Airport Impressions, Nicky Gravino, Christina Casolani, DJ Toby, and Morena.

The event is sponsored by Go and Hamilton Travel. Tickets at cost €12 and €20 can be bought from the MFCC Millennium Stand, Ta' Qali, PBS Television House, Guardamangia, Embassy Cinema Valletta, or online at www.maltaeurosong.com. For information call 7964 6407.