Community radio stations have proliferated in recent years, with the majority of local licences held by individual priests and religious organisations, non-governmental organisations, and the occasional sports or musical club.
Dr Kevin Aquilina, chief executive of the Malta Broadcasting Authority, told MaltaToday that there are 27 permanent community-based radio stations in all, of which 19 are broadcast from Malta and eight from Gozo.
The localities from where the radio stations are broadcast are the following, Valletta, Cospicua, Kappara/San Gwann, Zejtun, Naxxar, Luqa, Birkirkara, Paola, Floriana, Hamrun, Zabbar, Birzebbugia, Qormi, St Paul’s Bay, Tarxien and Attard. The locations from where Gozo community stations are broadcast are Qala, Victoria, Fontana, Xaghra, Nadur, Xewkija, and Kercem.
Community channels licensed to members of the clergy include Radju Xeb-er-ras, Radju Lehen il-Qala, Radju Bambina, Radju Luminaria, Radju Prekursur and Radju Sokkors.
NGO-owned community channels are Radju Kottoner, which is licensed to Dar it-Tama Foundation, and Eden FM, owned by the Eden Foundation.
Radju St Vincent de Paule is licensed to a representative of Friends of St Vincent De Paule Residence Committee, while BKR Radio 94.5 FM is licensed to a representative of Birkirkara Football Club and Radju Hal Tarxien to a representative of Musical Association Marija Annunzjata.
Aquilina said the Broadcasting Authority hardly receives any complaints concerning the community based radio stations, adding the radios are not regulated in terms of geographical coverage but in terms of power.