RTM to undergo major revamp?
Published: Dec 2, 2008 5:50 AM | Updated: Dec 2, 2008 6:21 AM
The year 2009 could herald major changes in government-owned public broadcaster, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), as plans are underfoot to turn RTM1 into a 24-hour news channel.
Under a new re-branding project, RTM is aiming to catch up with Bernama TV, which is currently the only local television station offering round-the-clock news programmes in various languages. If the re-branding exercise is successful, Malaysians will soon have a local version of CNN or Al-Jazeera.
The year 2009 could herald major changes in government-owned public broadcaster, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), as plans are underfoot to turn RTM1 into a 24-hour news channel.
Under a new re-branding project, RTM is aiming to catch up with Bernama TV, which is currently the only local television station offering round-the-clock news programmes in various languages. If the re-branding exercise is successful, Malaysians will soon have a local version of CNN or Al-Jazeera.
Sources tell Malaysiakini that all news programmes, regardless of language, will be moved to RTM1, while RTM2 will focus on entertainment programmes like dramas.
As a result, the Mandarin and Tamil news, which are currently aired on RTM2, will move to RTM1, with the Tamil news slated to take the 6pm slot, followed by the Mandarin news at 6.30pm.
Sources also indicated that the total airtime for Mandarin news will be slashed to half or 30 minutes a day. Presently, the total daily airtime for Mandarin news on RTM2 is one hour, comprising two 30-minute time slots, one at noon and the other at 8pm.
RTM management is believed to have ordered a strict embargo on all the information pertaining to the changes being planned for the Manadarin news slots to prevent a possible backlash from the Chinese community in the country.
However, in a report in the Oriental Daily today, deputy information minister Tan Lian Hoe said the new timeslots for the Chinese news were still being discussed and have yet to be finalised.
It is believed that Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek has no direct involvement in all the decisions, which are being made by a re-branding committee. Barring political intervention, the changes in the national broadcaster will be finalised soon.
New scheduling plans
In new scheduling plans for RTM1, the prime time slot of 8pm will be reserved for Malay news, followed by talk shows beginning 9pm.
Although the adjustments are yet to be finalised, 2009 is just a month away and journalists in RTM are working hard to cope with all the changes, said the source.
Ahmad Shabery was quoted in recent Bernama reports as saying that RTM1 will dedicate a 30-minute slot during prime time to news from Sabah and Sarawak, beginning next year.
Ahmad Shabery added that RTM1 will also broadcast a weekly 30-minute programme highlighting the different ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak.
The move is widely regarded as an effort by the BN government to placate the various communities in East Malaysia, who have long complained of being sidelined by the federal government. It is also believed that the renewed interest in Sabah and Sarawak was ignited by opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat's recent political offensive in the states.
Under a new re-branding project, RTM is aiming to catch up with Bernama TV, which is currently the only local television station offering round-the-clock news programmes in various languages. If the re-branding exercise is successful, Malaysians will soon have a local version of CNN or Al-Jazeera.
Sources tell Malaysiakini that all news programmes, regardless of language, will be moved to RTM1, while RTM2 will focus on entertainment programmes like dramas.
As a result, the Mandarin and Tamil news, which are currently aired on RTM2, will move to RTM1, with the Tamil news slated to take the 6pm slot, followed by the Mandarin news at 6.30pm.
Sources also indicated that the total airtime for Mandarin news will be slashed to half or 30 minutes a day. Presently, the total daily airtime for Mandarin news on RTM2 is one hour, comprising two 30-minute time slots, one at noon and the other at 8pm.
RTM management is believed to have ordered a strict embargo on all the information pertaining to the changes being planned for the Manadarin news slots to prevent a possible backlash from the Chinese community in the country.
However, in a report in the Oriental Daily today, deputy information minister Tan Lian Hoe said the new timeslots for the Chinese news were still being discussed and have yet to be finalised.It is believed that Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek has no direct involvement in all the decisions, which are being made by a re-branding committee. Barring political intervention, the changes in the national broadcaster will be finalised soon.
New scheduling plans
In new scheduling plans for RTM1, the prime time slot of 8pm will be reserved for Malay news, followed by talk shows beginning 9pm.
Although the adjustments are yet to be finalised, 2009 is just a month away and journalists in RTM are working hard to cope with all the changes, said the source.
Ahmad Shabery was quoted in recent Bernama reports as saying that RTM1 will dedicate a 30-minute slot during prime time to news from Sabah and Sarawak, beginning next year.Ahmad Shabery added that RTM1 will also broadcast a weekly 30-minute programme highlighting the different ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak.
The move is widely regarded as an effort by the BN government to placate the various communities in East Malaysia, who have long complained of being sidelined by the federal government. It is also believed that the renewed interest in Sabah and Sarawak was ignited by opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat's recent political offensive in the states.
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