GOVT, PRIVATE SECTOR TV PROGRAMMES TO BE STREAMLINED

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- The Information Communication and Culture Ministry will be streamlining broadcasting guidelines of television programmes in the government and private sector soon, said its secretary-general Kamaruddin Siaraf.

"We will be working together with the Multimedia Commission, Radio
Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and Media Prima Berhad on this," he told the Malaysian
national news agency (Bernama) after appearing on the "Helo Malaysia" programme
on Bernama TV here Wednesday night.

He said Information Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim would
be making an announcement on the matter soon.

Kamaruddin said the streamlining would take into consideration aspects of
quality and features of programmes from abroad irrespective of whether they were
dramas or advertisements.

"Now RTM, Media Prima and Astro (pay TV station) all have their own grading
systems. They will all be streamlined into one single system," he said, adding
that the move did not mean a reduction in foreign programmes but more to ensure
content was suited to the local scene.

At the same time, he said, this would also help local players in the
television industry.
-- BERNAMA