Cap. 579 Art. 20Media Registrar.

(1) There shall be a Media Registrar who shall keep a

Media Register and enter therein the particulars referred to in article 19 and any changes thereto, and shall make such other entries therein and such alterations thereto as may be appropriate or as may be prescribed by regulations made by the Prime Minister under this Act.

(2) Any person may inspect the Media Register at all reasonable times during normal office hours and may also, against payment of the appropriate fee, require a certified copy of any entry in or any extract from the register kept under this article.

(3) The Media Registrar shall cancel the registration of an editor or a publisher of a newspaper or of a broadcasting service -

(a) if he is so requested in writing by the editor or publisher; or

(b) if, in the case of a newspaper published at intervals not exceeding one month, such newspaper is not published for a period exceeding three months, and, in the case of any other newspaper, it is not published for a period exceeding one year; or

(c) if, in the case of a broadcasting service, such service ceases to be licensed:

Provided that the provisions of this article shall not apply to any periodical publication published by, or by order or leave of or for the use of, the President of Malta, the Government of Malta or any of its Ministries or Departments or by the House of Representatives.

(4) The Prime Minister may by regulations provide:

(a) that the functions of Media Registrar shall be fulfilled by such person or organization as may in his opinion duly represent journalists and publishers; and

(b) that in addition to the functions conferred upon the Media Registrar by this Act the said Registrar may also perform other functions in the field of training, analysis of developments in the media and the fostering of alternative and accessible means of dispute resolution relating to the media:

Provided that any regulations made under this sub-article shall be made after a consultation process and shall be approved by a resolution of the House of Representatives before they come into force.