A culture of consumerism, which requires a musical soundtrack, is leading to the playing of loud music in all sorts of public places including beaches, streets and even the university at all times of day, according to an anthropologist.

“In part, it’s related to consumption. Public spaces – be they streets in Valletta, beaches or such – are increasingly being relegated into impoverished monocultures of consumption. The link between sound (or is it noise?) and consumption is a global cultural phenomenon that is well-studied. Be that as it may, it is also a cultural phenomenon that is wildly out of place in many contexts,” says Mark-Anthony Falzon, a professor at the University of Malta.

He gave the example of music and spot commercials imposed on all ears on campus, all day long, via loudspeakers permanently in place around the quadrangle and surrounding areas.

“This is not a subjective wet-blanket matter of ‘I don’t like it’,” he insists.

“The point is about a gratuitous encroachment on the few quiet places left at the university. I’m not suggesting we should all become Carthusian monks and observe total silence at all times. I can see why, say, the events of freshers’ week might also engage the ear.

“What I am saying is that it is wrong to impose unnecessary noise all day long, every day of the year. It’s more serious than it might sound because what’s being dented happens to be a fundamental part of the scholarly environment and experience.”

Noise or sound?

Falzon explains that it all boils down to the difference between noise and sound.

“There is a place for everything and everything in its place. Noise is sound that is out of place and/or at the wrong time. Mozart is widely regarded as sound rather than noise but if you played Mozart at 3am and woke up the neighbours, they’d be right to tell you to stop the noise,” he said.

So, at the university, piped music qualifies as noise because it defiles the spirit of the institution.

“Universities need their quiet places where students and academics can retreat to – to have a conversation, to read, to reflect or just to be idle. At the university, quiet places are not an accessory to scholarship but, rather, an intrinsic part of it. It’s unthinkable for a university to consign these places to mindless and unnecessary noise,” he says.

Falzon adds it is unfortunate enough that open space in general is under threat on campus.

“The student population is growing (in itself, a good thing), there is a diversification of disciplines (likewise) and the campus as a whole is increasingly hemmed in by construction works all around. Not much could be done about that but it is all the more reason to preserve the few remaining quiet places,” he notes.

Students’ views

Jeremy Mifsud Bonnici, president of the KSU, says the speakers on the quadrangle have been up since 2019. The arrangement is also found at MCAST, ITS, Junior College and other institutions.

Complaints started after a department was placed without warning or consultation inside student house.

“We have reduced the volume on numerous occasions and have looked for a mediated conclusion through the university, even via the rector himself numerous times. It has also been documented that the university and the rectorate have agreed with KSU, so much so there have been proposals by the administration to install speakers of Campus FM, the university’s radio station.

“It is also worth noting that this music is only audible in the vicinity of the walls of student house and cannot be heard from even the benches on the parallel side of the quadrangle.

“I have to also point out that KSU has invested heavily in providing study spaces for students,” he points out, adding that, as a sign of goodwill, KSU offered to remove the speakers on the walls of the department and place them elsewhere.

Antropologist Mark-Anthony Falzon. Photo: Jonathan Borg

“We have fallen into this position of ridiculousness when a student council needs to justify offering students the opportunity to listen to music and be entertained on campus, on the quadrangle, the busiest and most lively area on campus ‒ filled with events, music and a true campus lifestyle throughout the whole week,” he remarks.

Vittoriosa residents complain

The nuisance caused by loud music is something that is not only impacting life on campus. Over the past years, Valletta residents complained about loud music especially after the local council allowed some establishments to continue playing music until 1am.

More recently, Vittoriosa residents complained about “incessant noise pollution” stemming from various sources, including party boats, the boċċi club and the regatta club.

“This ongoing disturbance is severely affecting the daily lives of hundreds of individuals,” they lamented.

Weak legislation

John Fenech, from the NGO Noise Abatement Society of Malta, insists that, as expressed by the residents, controlling of noise is important for people’s well-being. Too much loud noise results in noise stressors that could lead to lack of rest and concentration.

“We need to learn to respect one another and not impose noise on people around us. One of the problems is that legislation to control noise in urban areas is subjective: how loud is too loud? There is no legal noise level threshold,” he says.

Laws concerning the regulation of noise pollution are spread over a number of different legislative measures, most of which are independent of each other. This results in a lack of enforcement and a subjective approach taken by the courts. This is because there is no specific provision in the law that governs noise from neighbours.

The criminal code states that a person is guilty of a contravention against public order if he disturbs the slumber of inhabitants at night by rowdiness or brawling, or in any other manner. It also speaks about “breach of the peace”. But the courts decide on a case-by-case basis whether the noise complained about is truly an “absolute nuisance”.