BY VOON YIH BOON
KUCHING: Aspiring local content producers can heave a sigh of relief as their ideas can now be translated on the small screen through Sarawak’s TV station, TVS.
Sarawak Media Group (SMG) chief executive officer Suhaimi Sulaiman said the station will be collaborating with National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) to fund local producers through Pelaksana for content creation.
“These include categories such as drama series, telemovies, sitcoms, animations, documentaries, reality shows, magazines and talk shows,” he told New Sarawak Tribune in an exclusive interview.
Earlier this week, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s Communication Department senior lecturer Dr Mus Chairil Samani urged for the formation of a special agency to fund local production projects in the state.
“It is time for Sarawak to create a special agency to provide funds to encourage the production of documentaries from among the people.
On tapping the potential of the state’s entertainment sector, Suhaimi said various programmes are in store by TVS to expose local celebrities at the national stage.
“We have programmes such as ‘Director’s Cut’, ‘Sembang Kencang’, ‘the JayC Show’, ‘Rhythm of Borneo’ and ‘Weekend Vibes’,” he said.
Besides focusing on entertainment, the SMG chief said TVS will also show the best of Sarawak, promoting the state as a tourist attraction.
“We have programmes such as ‘Borneo from Above’, which is a 15-minute segment of drone shots at various locations in Sarawak, along with stories on the people and economic activities and special attraction.
“Besides that, we will also have ‘Culturally Sarawak’ and ‘Sada Kenyalang’,” he said.
