The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and its Maltese Member Public Broadcasting Services Ltd (PBS) are delighted to announce that the 2016 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place this November in Malta.

PBS will host this year's event in the capital city Valletta, after being offered the chance to organise the 14^th annual competition following Destiny Chukunyere's victory at the 2015 contest in Sofia, Bulgaria. Malta last hosted the contest in 2014.

The 2016 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will see several format changes, following intense work by the EBU, the Contest's Steering Group, and PBS as host broadcaster.

This year the event will take place on the afternoon of Sunday 20 November and will be held in several locations around Valletta.

"Within the Steering Group we have been discussing how to improve and further the JESC format," said Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor for the 2016 Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

"Many members, including some not taking part, felt that the timeslot was not suited to children and family viewing, so we have tried to bring the competition to a time more fitting for this type of event."

Sand added: "On behalf of the EBU, I am very excited that PBS has agreed to host the event again, and look forward to working with them after the benchmark that they set back in 2014."

PBS CEO Anton Attard, will again act as Executive Producer having taken the role in 2014. He said he was thrilled to organise the event again:

"Within PBS we have tried to challenge every aspect of Junior Eurovision, based on our experience of hosting in 2014. We can again promise a high-quality production, together with some new additions to the format, as well as our Maltese hospitality to everyone who joins us in Malta this November".

More details about this year's competition will be revealed soon. The EBU and PBS will hold a joint press conference in Stockholm at the Eurovision Song Contest in May.