Can Malta’s Local TV Compete? How TOKIS Is Building a Local Industry
Malta’s local television sector is growing, with more productions reaching larger audiences and offering work to hundreds of Maltese and Gozitan creatives. The challenge now is to sustain that growth against global streaming platforms.
- Broadcaster
- GO, through its Maltese channel and on-demand library, TOKIS
- Investment
- €7 million in local productions up to 2024
- Audience
- 5.2 million views a month
- Library
- More than 5,000 hours and over 4,000 episodes on demand
- Next season
- Around 500 people from Malta and Gozo across ten new productions
From Occasional Projects to a Pipeline
GO’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mandy Calleja, said that before TOKIS, local productions were often one-off projects. The aim was to create a steady flow of work for writers, directors, actors, producers and crews. She said hundreds of Maltese creatives have since taken part in a growing number of productions, and that a sustainable industry needs more than funding, including skills development, stronger production companies and real chances for local talent.
Competing With Streaming Giants
Calleja accepted that a Maltese production cannot match global streamers on budget or volume. She argued that it can compete on relevance, because audiences want stories that reflect their own language, humour and experiences, something international platforms cannot easily replicate.
Is the Industry Self-Sustaining?
Calleja said it would be premature to call the sector self-sustaining. Like many small creative markets, Malta depends on collaboration between broadcasters, platforms, independent producers, government and private investors. She said the sector needs more investors and producers, along with better access to international markets.
Reaching Beyond Malta
Malta’s size means productions need to think internationally from the start. Calleja pointed to the large Maltese diaspora as an important audience that wants homegrown content. She said the main obstacles are not a shortage of talent but scale, financing, distribution and international access. Co-productions, stronger partnerships and better export skills, she argued, would help Maltese stories travel while keeping their local character.
The Long-Term Goal
Calleja described the aim as an ecosystem in which talent can develop, businesses can grow and intellectual property can be created and exported. She said viewers ultimately decide what succeeds, and their continued interest will guide future investment.
