Cap. 350 Art. 2Interpretation.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

"the Authority" means the Broadcasting Authority established by article 118 of the Constitution;

"advertising" means any form of announcement broadcast whether in return for payment or for similar consideration, or broadcast for self-promotional purposes by a public or private undertaking in connection with a trade, business, craft or profession in order to promote the supply of goods or services, including immovable property, rights and obligations, in return for payment;

"broadcast" means the initial transmission of radio or television programmes or of any audiovisual material intended for reception by the public on any electronic communications network and any electronic communications service as defined in article 2 of the Electronic Communications (Regulation) Act, but does not include retransmissions and communication services providing items of information or other messages on individual demand such as telecopying, electronic data banks and other similar services;

"broadcasting licence” means a licence issued by the Broadcasting Authority in terms of article 10 and also includes any licence, contract or other document issued under any other law whereby a person is authorised to provide a broadcasting service; "community radio service" means a radio service designed to cater for the needs of a particular community or locality and having a limited range of reception;

"financial year" means the period of twelve months ending on the thirty-first day of December in any year;

"Minister" unless otherwise provided, means the Minister responsible for broadcasting;

"Malta" has the same meaning as is assigned to it in article 124 of the Constitution;

"National Broadcasting Plan" means the National Broadcasting Plan contained in the Second Schedule to this Act;

"nationwide radio service" means a radio service designed to cater for the needs of the nation as a whole and having a range of reception which includes the whole of Malta; "person" includes also a body corporate established by law and includes also a department of government; "programmes broadcast by the Authority" includes programmes broadcast on behalf of the Authority in accordance with the provisions of this Act; "retransmission" means receiving and simultaneously transmitting, irrespective of the technical means employed, complete and unchanged radio or television programme services, or important parts of such services, transmitted by broadcasters for reception by the general public; "subliminal techniques" means the use of any technical device which, by using images of very brief duration or by any other means, exploits the possibility of conveying a message to, or otherwise influencing the minds of, members of an audience without their being aware, or fully aware, of what has been done; "teleshopping" means direct offers broadcast to the public with a view to the supply of goods or services, including immovable property, rights and obligations, in return for payment.