Joe Tanti

Joe Tanti (born 24 May 1959) is a popular Maltese radio and TV presenter, actor and a prominent campaigner for children's rights in the fight against child abuse in Malta. Joe is one of the most known voices in the Maltese radio sphere having worked on 8 different radio stations.  He is also a known face on local television having been involved in television productions on 4 different TV stations, both as actor and presenter.   Other acting work includes theatre and feature film productions.

Joe is associated with Rock music due to his involvement with Rock DJing both on radio and the local club scene.  However, in recent years Joe has presented the Breakfast Shows on three different radio stations.  He won several awards in Malta for his radio shows including best radio presenter and best program.

Joe has been involved in politics since 1998.  He is renowned for strongly supporting causes and people who reflect his beliefs.

Early Life and Family

Family

Joe Tanti was born on the 24th of May 1959 in Pietà, Malta.  He is the second of four children to Joseph and Louise Tanti. His father Joseph was a Headmaster and pharmacist (passed away 2000) His mother a pianist.

Having lived most of his childhood in Sta Lucia, one of Malta's first post war towns designed to foster the sense of community and belonging, he grew up with the firm believe that people and mostly politicians should work together for the common good.  

Joe is married to Michelle née Micallef (m. 2015 in Gozo) and together they have a son Andrew born November 2016.  Joe also has two other children from previous relationships, Marc and Michael, and is also step father to Liam and Julian, who were born from Michelle's previous relationships.

Life in Gozo With Michelle's family being from and residing in Gozo, Joe and his family spent the summer months, and most winter weekends there.  This involved a lot of travel as his job and radio work kept him in Malta.  This came at huge personal sacrifice since it meant he could not be with his children when they woke up in the morning.

After a number of years the whole family relocated to Xaghra.  In his own words “I want to wake up with my family and share breakfast. Say good morning like a normal father. I haven't done that for the past 13 years”.

Education

Joe received his formal education at Savio College Secondary school. During his days at Savio College he  discovered his love of cross country training, a hobby he still enjoys up to this day.

After finishing his secondary studies he enrolled at The Malta College of Arts Science and Technology to study Hotel and Catering Management.  Always a believer in lifelong learning, in 2006 Joe started reading for a diploma in Diplomatic Studies at the University of Malta.  He successfully finished his studies in 2008.

Politics

Nationalist Party

In 1998 Joe got involved in the Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista).  This was a short ten-month spell brought to an end due political differences.

Partit Laburista

Joe is a familiar voice and face in the Partit Laburista, having presented the breakfast show on One (formerly Super One) from 2005 to 2018.   During this time he was becoming more and more involved with Joseph Muscat's changes in both the PL and later when elected to government as Prime Minister.

He was heavily involved in both the 2013 and 2017 campaigns which were successfully won by the PL by record margins.

Joseph Muscat showed his faith in Joe's abilities and he was appointed as a person of trust, representing the OPM within the Ministry for Family and Social Welfare under Minister Michael Farrugia and later Ministry for Justice under Minister Owen Bonnici. In 2018 he joined the Secretariat in the Ministry for Gozo under Minister Justyne Caruana.

Campaigner against Child abuse.

In 1995 Joe created an event inviting listeners on a Bay Radio where he hosted a mid morning show to bring Christmas gift for children who will spending Christmas in hospital suffering from child abuse . This success of this event triggered an awareness on the subject. Press conferences that eventually led to the creation of 179 support line. In 2011, his research paper entitled 'The Rights and Future of Unaccompanied Minors and Children Born to Irregular Immigrants in Malta' was quoted in Strasburg during the April session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council Of Europe debate on unaccompanied children in Europe. Today Joe sits on the Advisory board for Children and Young People.  

References
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