Joseph Mizzi
Chairman, PBS

Dear Conference Participant,
As Chairman of Public Broadcasting Services Limited Malta it is my pleasure to welcome you for the 28th Annual CIRCOM Regional
Conference.
It is also my honour to greet you to our charming island that although small in size, is rich in history and culture. Apart from Valletta, the capital city, Malta boasts six other UNESCO World Heritage Sites, collectively called ‘The Megalithic Temples of Malta’.
Over the days of the Conference you will have the opportunity to discuss The 2020 Vision: Decade of Decisions for Regional Television. The conference offers you a varied list of speakers, as well as a number of interesting workshops and presentations where we will be able to network together to gain new insights into the future of our profession.
I beleive that your experience in this event will be successful and hope that you leave Malta enlightened and empowered to manage the changes and challenges that you may encounter as broadcasters.

Dolores Cristina
Minister of Education, Employment and Family

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 28th Annual Conference of Circom Regional.
You will be hosted in an environment rich in history. It is an environment where the vision of the Knights of St John, known also as the Knights of Malta, was given the form of a city by gentlemen for gentlemen: Valletta. This vision stood the test of time as it adapted itself to the changing historical and cultural environment that developed along the ages.
The theme of your conference makes it clear that you will be visiting Malta to analyse and develop a different kind of vision. It is not a vision built in stone but a vision built on the creative development of electronic technology.
I trust that your discussions and sharing of experiences will help you evolve your theme - “The 2020 Vision: Decade of Decisions for Regional TV” - for the benefit of the industry and the millions that use it for communication, information and entertainment.

Michael Lally
President, CIRCOM Regional

As we come together for our annual conference I imagine that almost all of our members have experienced one of the toughest periods of their existence over the last twelve months. While there are signs of a slight improvement in the global economy, the changes forced by the global recession will be permanent for many of us. We are now in an era of permanent change and that is the background against which we all gather here in Malta.
CIRCOM represents member stations in over thirty countries. There are many similarities in the type of challenges we face in each
country. Malta will give us all an opportunity to discuss our challenges together and to share possible solutions. While no one is spared the challenges of the global economy, equally when it comes to solutions no member is an island cut off from the rest of the world. That is the spirit of “togetherness and fraternity” which I hope we can foster over the coming days at our conference and develop further when we return home.
Regional Public Service Broadcasting is under threat in many countries. Our real challenge is to convince our stakeholders of our significance and worth. This is not just a public relations exercise. It must be a full examination of how we do our business, including everything from how much we pay ourselves to our work practices, from our content to our ongoing contact with our audience. It must also include our relationship with our political leaders.
There is work to be done at Conference 2010. I warmly thank our hosts PBS Malta for giving us a magnificent setting for this gathering. I urge all delegates to participate in this conference in the knowledge that you have a special privileged position. Firstly, your station has sent you to this conference as part of your work. Secondly, it is your responsibility to repay the trust of your organisation by being an active participant. I hope when returning from Malta that you will all have a message for your stations. It should be one of change but hope and optimism with solutions.