Owen Bonnici can’t provide Love Island ‘cultural test’ to justify subsidies

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici is dodging requests to publish the obligatory ‘cultural test’ which enabled the Film Commission to issue a €1 million subsidy for local TV reality shows, including Love Island.

Through repeated parliamentary questions, PN MP Julie Zahra asked the government to justify these unprecedented state subsidies to local reality TV shows. Minister Bonnici said he was not in a position to produce the information requested.

Bonnici is currently also refusing to disclose how many hundreds of thousands of euro have been granted from state funds over the past two years to well-connected local producers of reality TV shows, such as Big Brother, X Factor, and Liquorish, which airs on the Labour Party’s TV station.

Following revelations by The Shift regarding Film Commissioner Johann Grech’s allocation of funds for such programmes and his disregard for accountability in using public funds, there are concerns about approving grants for local TV shows.

The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) has raised questions about the criteria used to determine how these local TV productions—often referred to as “trash TV”—could qualify for the ‘cultural test.’

According to criteria introduced unilaterally by Grech as part of the Financial Incentive for the Audiovisual Scheme (FIAV), productions that qualify for millions in cash rebates and state subsidies must pass a ‘cultural test’ established by the Commission itself.

While the rules of this cultural test are elusive, Grech himself decides whether a production passes the test.

According to industry sources, while some foreign TV and film productions may qualify for funding by showcasing scenes of Malta’s heritage, there are questions regarding the cultural value of local TV content, such as ‘Love Island’.

This production is a replica of similar international shows, featuring a group of young adults living together and discussing sex and romantic relationships throughout the day.

The local producers of this popular show, Media Exclusive, which is owned by Ben Camille, Christina Gravina, Martina Zammit, and Lara Caruana, received €141,000 in subsidies for last year’s edition. Minister Bonnici has not disclosed how much public funding is allocated for the current season.

In addition to ‘Love Island’, public funds in 2024 were also used to subsidise Greatt Company Ltd., owned by Anton Attard and Mark Grech, who received €600,000 for ‘X Factor’ and ‘MasterChef’.

Meanwhile, Andrea Cassar and Warren Brimmer, the owners of Liquorish Productions Ltd.—which produces a reality TV programme on One TV—were paid €118,000 for last year’s edition.

The FIAV scheme was initially designed to attract high-quality international film and TV productions to Malta.