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Friday March 24, 2006

RTM to launch third channel

By MUMTAJ BEGUM

KUALA LUMPUR: RTM will celebrate its 60th year of transmission this year by renaming its two channels and launching a third channel.

TV1 and TV2 would be known as RTM1 and RTM2 from its anniversary date – April 1, Information Minister Datuk Zainuddin Maidin told a press conference at Angkasapuri yesterday.

“We want to emphasise that the name itself is historical in its own right,” he said.

Zainuddin, however, could not say when RTM3 would begin transmission. However, he did say that from April 3, RTM2 would possibly go on air 24 hours a day.

As part of the special events and programmes planned for RTM’s 60th anniversary, there will be a concert on April 2 at Padang Semarak Angkasapuri with stalls manned by local celebrities such as Rosyam Nor and Saiful Apek.

An outdoor event, Fiesta 60, will be a daily affair from March 31 until April 3 from 10am to 10pm also, at Padang Semarak Angkasapuri. Among the activities are concerts, karaoke competitions, dance competitions and auditions.

Beginning midnight March 31, there will also be 60 hours of non-stop live transmission from various locations all over Malaysia featuring entertainment, information and sports-related programmes.

Both RTM's radio and TV stations will feature special programmes from now until May. Besides new programmes, there will be reruns of classic serials produced by RTM such as Bila Kompang Berbunyi, a popular series that was aired in the 1960s.

“We are working towards screening only good quality programmes,” Zainuddin said.

It seems like every time there is a new Information Minister, RTM's TV and Radio channnels/station/programmes get new names! I remember watching the "rebranding" of the TV and Radio channels/stations last year. There was much fanfare associated with the "rebranding".

And now? TV1 and TV2 are going back to their old names. Reminds me of someone I know; she doesn't like her old name anymore, so she now has a new name. Maybe some time in the future, she'll get tired of her new name and will go back to her old name! Heheh.

I am happy to read there will be re-runs of old serials. I've never watched Bila Kompang Berbunyi, since TV transmissions only came about in Sarawak some time in the 70s. I have been wondering for a long time why there are no re-runs of local series, if there are, only very few. Another thing, RTM can also run series that first appeared on some private TV stations. There are still many people who do not have access to these private TV stations. Here in the US, I love to watch re-runs of Seinfeld, over and over again to be exact!

I have noticed that some of the newer TV series in Malaysia are trying to reflect more of the true Malaysian character. There are more solid roles for the non-Malay actors. I know more could and should be done. Otherwise, the Chinese will only watch Chinese series, and the Tamils will watch the Tamil series. And the rest of us? Not much to choose from! :-(

I look forward to the proposed third channel from RTM. I just hope that it won't be filled with religious programmes that hardly anyone watches! Or the kind of programmes that are filled with good intentions - like propaganda on how to love the country, the government, or on how to be courteous and kind, have good morals ... nothing wrong with that but too much moralizing can turn people off.

I am still waiting for our first Iban movie or series on TV! I have heard rumours that Vynne is going to be involved in a production, and Kayan Knight, in another. I heard that these movies will be all in Iban with subtitles. I like the sound of that!

Hey, maybe I could take classes on movie script writing, and add to the birth of Iban movie production! :-)