BY JACINTHA JOLENE AND GABRIEL LIHAN
KUCHING: The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a blessing in disguise as local artistes encourage the next generation of artistes to pursue the media industry.
TVS, a television channel owned by Sarawak Media Group (SMG) which was launched in 2020 has created opportunities and platforms for young desired artistes to express themselves and create contents for the public to enjoy.
New Sarawak Tribune reporters, Jacintha Jolene and Gabriel Lihan get up close and personal with six TVS’ talents on their insights and experiences in the media industry.
JayC Ho, An inspiration from an educator
JayC Ho, who hosted The JayC Show and TVS Soundtraxx, credits his successes to his secondary school teacher for seeing his potential
“It’s a funny story, I lost my job during the pandemic but an old friend whom I used to work together with called me up one day and asked if I wanted to be a TV host.
“It’s amusing when I think about it, from my school teacher, Lee Kiam Phin asking me to do this, but I ended up doing something else to now being in TVS.
“My Form 6 teacher was like, you should just be an entertainer,” JayC laughed not knowing what his teacher said close to a decade ago, which has now come to fruition.
“Singing has always been in my blood, it’s probably the Filipino in me,” he enthused.
Despite the multiple jobs JayC has worked in from being a banker, sales, insurance and then to hospitality management, he now finds joy in what he does.
“I never knew I could end up in a place like SMG or TVS as a platform to shine my talent a bit more.
“Life is a life-long learning process and being relevant means relating to the younger generation and I’m constantly learning and the key is to be open to learning,” he said.
In the future, JayC Ho sees himself more as an educator and wants to open his own academy, a performing arts academy.
“It’s a far future vision, an academy instead of a studio.
I totally can see the future of giving back to the community. I have not achieved anything big yet but at a more local community, I have quite an achievement to have that background to teach,”
shared JayC on his future plans.
JayC is willing to use his entire experience as a TV personality, dancer, host and skill that he has garnered over the years to educate the next generation.
He added that he wishes not to just focus on one industry, but an industry that requires training development.
“I guess I’m happy for having this passion for knowledge and I have mentored a few dances in the past. What’s lacking in Sarawak is talent development and at least that’s what I have noticed.
“A lot of my friends are dancers and singers. They have talents but perhaps they don’t know how to utilise them and I want to give back (to the community), ” JayC said of his motivation to open a performing arts academy someday.
Salasiah Safian, Paving the way for the next generation
Another news anchor, Salasiah Safian, won the A.Samad Ismail Young Journalist award at the Malam Kewartawanan 2021 recently
The reporter who hails from Kuching won the prestigious award after covering stories of several Lawas-based entrepreneurs.
Her interest in covering stories, particularly stories from Sarawak and its citizens, has said that her passion for journalism grew after suspending her tertiary education in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
“I would not have been able to win the award if not for the help of the editors and their constant advice to me,” she said.
As a journalist and someone who works for the media, she believes that one must know their topic before going out into the field.
When asked what was her motivation factor for winning the award, she said that she often put herself in people’s shoes, whether as a listener or a reader of the news. She imagined what readers and TV audiences would feel and think.
The winner of the youngest journalist award also said that she often had fear or doubts when asking questions to people but pushed herself to the limit because it might benefit other reporters when doing so.
Her encouragement to the younger generation was not to be afraid to try.
“Honestly, I don’t always know it all, and I do face my fears.
“However, when I reflect and think things through, I must try, I fight the fear and learn to ask questions,” she said.
As a young journalist, she tries her best to disseminate news to the public as accurately as possible.
“Some of the challenges I have encountered are difficult and there have been people who are reluctant to cooperate with my reporting.
“Now, I am more careful with my choices of words,” she said of her four years working in the media industry.
Salasiah also shared that journalism brings her great satisfaction, knowing that she gets to play a part in delivering news to the public.
Douglas Elliot, A newsroom global citizen
Douglas Elliot, another news anchor who hails from Bau, has been working with TVS for almost two years, said that his intention was to always become an on-the-ground reporter and never an intention to be on screen.
He describes himself as a global citizen and his love for traveling which he credits to for being in the media industry.
Douglas, previously worked in the editorial team for a lifestyle publication, Time Out Malaysia and later worked as a commercial writer at Malaysia’s largest English daily newspaper, The Star.
The lad from Bau, graduated from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and was also one of the student journalists at UNESCO World Press Freedom Day 2017 event held at Jakarta, Indonesia.
When asked why and when does the description of ‘global citizen’ come about, he expressed that coming from Bau is why he considers himself a global citizen.
He said it’s geographically where we are from as Sarawakians, and coming from a small town like Bau, he advised the younger media practitioners to not let your dreams be limited.
“I am always thinking about what’s next. I don’t want my capabilities to be restricted.
“Just compare yourself with yourself and don’t let your self-doubt restrict your potential. It’s a competition with yourself, you write your own story,” he said.
Douglas wanted to be a travel writer, before jumping on the TVS job, he credited his experience with The Star for having the opportunity to have networking with clients with the tourism board and felt that opportunity to network with clients in the tourism industry showed something was lacking.
‘Fueled by that lacking, and my desire to travel, it was a big leap for me to be in the industry, I just wanted to try something.
“It was more genuine and honest,” said Douglas who beamed with excitement explaining his passion for travelling and seeing the world.
Today, Douglas Elliot is an anchor of ‘TVS’ Nightline, a prime English news airing nightly at 11pm. Douglas also presents news at 5pm and Tempat Kita – a weekly segment showcasing local places of interest on Utama.
