Sunday, August 22, 2021

Remembring RTM

Bringing back memories of RTM

RTM was an amalgam of 2 broadcasting entities: Radio Malaya and TV Malaysia. Radio Malaya had a much longer history and had its headquarters at the Federal House in Kuala Lumpur, while TV Malaysia was born in the early sixties and had its studios and broadcasting center in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
TV Malaysia started off with only 1 black and white channel and added another only in the later part of 1960s.
The new merged entity of RTM moved to its new broadcasting center, Angkasapuri, in Jalan Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, in 1969. It has 2 separate blocks of building, Wisma Radio and Wisma TV.


              
              TV production staff - in front of the broadcasting complex. This picture was taken in 1970s.
Among the staff members are Aziz Wok, Shaharom Shahaban, Thomas Mattew, Zabri Adil, Azhar Ahmad , Janathana , Harun Ibrahim, Rahman Bujang , Chee Yuen Foo, Wahab Salam, Billy Wong, Zainuddin Nordin

In addition, there is a separate building for training: The Institut Penyiaran Tun Abdul Razak (IPTAR). It was set up to train RTM staff, as well as overseas broadcasters.

  
      The staff of IPTAR. Photo taken in front of IPTAR  in 1975. Among them are Bala Krishnan, the then Director of IPTAR, Lee Tian Chew, the Deputy Director, Boon Kok Yang (Engineer), Yap San Chik (Engineer), Peter Tharmaratnam (Engineer), V Kuppusamy (Engineer), Thomas Mathew (Producer), Kanagarajah (Engineer), Ow Keng Hai (Technical Producer), Joseph Lau (Cameraman), Ang Boon Kui, Lop Zainal, Kee Tuan Choo

A regional course was conducted by Iptar, called 'Instructional Techniques' in 1975. This course was conducted by The Asian Pacific Institute of Broadcasting Development, a branch of UNESCO, which shared their premise with IPTAR. The class visited IPTAR which was still under construction at that time. Below is a picture of the class visit:


'Instructional Techniques' class visit to IPTAR during construction. Photo shows local and foreign course participants.



Another picture taken in 1976 at ITAR. The Deputy Director of IPTAR, Mr Lee Tian Chew, is pictured at the center, with Mr Kuppusamy on his right, followed by Mr Yap San Chik, Mr Ow Keng Hye, Mr Mark Lian, Mr Tah Yam Hee and MR Chanan Singh. On is left are Mr Boon Kok Yang, Mr Peter Thamaratnam, Mr Kanagaraja, Mr Lai Sai Kiew, and Mr Syed Ali




Group picture taken at IPTAR after a management seminar in 1995, which was officiated by the Secretary General of The Ministry Of Information, Mr Yahaya Yacob (12th position from left)

As training officers, we also conducted training for staff in RTM Kuching. The following is a photo taken at a basic electrical course in RTM Kuching in 1974.


This is a picture taken in RTM Kuching in 1974. The lecturers from IPTAR are Mr V. Kuppusamy and Yap San Chik. In the centre seated was Director Encik Salleh Askor  and on the extreme right is Mr Chew Hock Guan, Deputy Director. Chief Engineer, RTM Sarawak, Mr Sun Tai Lum is seated on the extreme left, and next to him is Encik Ekhwan Zulkipli, Engineer. Those standing and the ladies seated were the course participants.


RTM also did many live broadcast and the following picture was taken in Kangar in 1981, at the Koran reading competition.


A picture taken in 1981 in Kangar at the Koran reading competition. In the centre is Aminah Mohd, the producer of the program, while standing at the extreme right is Technical Producer Idris Zainuddin. Second on the left is Encik Mokhtar Sulong, Head Of Agama. Next to him on the right is Encik Azhar Ahmad, Senior Technical Producer. The rest were RTM staff in Kangar.


This picture shows a picture taken at the Telekom Training Center in Kuala Lumpur to prepare for the Commonwealth Games coverage to be held in Malaysia in 1998. Present at the seminar were officials from Telekom Malaysia, RTM and the Commonwealth Games Organizing Body (SUKOM).