Malta: PBS will stick to 100% televoting

Malta will maintain the use of 100% televoting in its national final. Broadcaster PBS revealed today that despite the disappointing result of Claudia Faniello, they will make no changes to the selection process.

John Bundy, CEO of broadcaster PBS, proclaimed today that as long as he is still in charge, jury voting will not return to our national final. “There were a number of times we didn’t get through, even when we had a jury; the jury just gives you someone to blame when things don’t go your way,” he said.

Controversial jury vote

This preselection marked the first time that PBS scrapped the old system, in which juries had a big influence on the result (more than 60%). Bundy stated that the Maltese people deserved more influence on the results. His decision led to an exciting and interesting national final in which Claudia Faniello took the ticket for Kiev.

However, it soon became clear that Claudia’s song was not popular among many people. Bookmakers rated Malta low and ESCDaily’s Malta expert Sadie Trent soon called for a return of the jury vote to the Maltese preselection. Faniello went on to perform in the second semi final in Kiev, where she did not qualify. Televoters gave her song the notorious zero points, while professional jurors would have let her go through to the final.