Blogscape

The recent proliferation of Maltese blogs is an interesting social and intellectual phenomenon. While some of these blogs are merely diary-like posts fulfilling the owners' narcissitic and exhibitionist needs, others are creating a discourse which is not yet to be found anywhere in the local print. It seems that writing a blog gives one the freedom that the Maltese print is still denying to citizens who, for different reasons, have distanced themselves from mainstream journalism and intellectual engagement. Salvu Balzan's commentary on last Sunday's edition of Malta Today, gives a clear cut picture of the poor and non-democratic state of affairs in Maltese media. In his article, Published and Be Damned, the ex-Alternattiva Demokratika activist argues that the content which makes it to print in Maltese newspapers is tightly controlled and censored by their owners, namely the mighty Parties, the less mighty Catholic Church and a bunch of filthy rich businessmen and powerful families. Disassociating oneself from these powermongers means inhibiting oneself from expressing views in the public sphere.

A number of blogs, particularly those owned by Mark Vella, Toni Sant and Robert Micallef, even if on varying degrees, are committed alternatives to what Maltese journalists are feeding the public. This new, emerging chattering class, seems to have promulgated a no-confidence vote in Maltese print, and have seeked new pastures, which presumably defy the red felt-pen of some hidden censor ready to file reports and send them to court once the 'borders' are crossed.

It is also very interesting to note that a good number of these weblogs are written by Maltese emigrees. Mark Vella is based in Luxembourg, Toni Sant in the UK, and there are others, like Pierre Mejlaq and a certain gybejxi in Brussels, and Sharon Spiteri currently studying in Scotland. What imbues these Maltese emigrees to write weblogs loaded with comments about the country they left? Perhaps they are carried by a sense of freedom and detachment, making it easier for them to look at what they left behind, the way James Joyce was when he wrote Dubliners in some shabby room far away from his native country.

Those Maltese bloggers who like Mark Vella and myself have opted to post their logs in Maltese are carrying the phenomenon a step further. Except for Malta Today, there is no serious, engaging newspaper or journal in Malta. But Malta Today is an English weekly. Reading Mark Vella's blog, as I have already commented elsewhere gives me a kick not only because of its content but also because of the way language is used. Xifer blog, is the only space on the net where one can truly enjoy reading something in Maltese. There is nothing else in Cyberspace, except a horrendous 'news' portal - maltarightnow.com - owned by the Nationalists, which is full of apologia, propaganda and spelling mistakes.

Malta needs a critical, biting newspaper which offers an alternative to the mainstream print. Or at least some kind of portal which overtly aims to shake the status quo tightly held by those in power. Which reminds me that once upon a time there were newspapers written in Maltese that ....