KUALA LUMPUR: Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) had restructured its operational system in the Current Affairs/News Division especially in the TV News Unit in an effort to enhance operational efficiency, effective Feb 1.
RTM Current Affairs/News Director Wan Bukhari Wan Daud said, the restructuring exercise was a normal internal move to streamline and facilitate the process of news coverage especially in the distribution of duties.
With the restructuring, crime, court, entertainment, disaster, Parliament, Putrajaya and Selangor reporters would be assigned under the General Desk.
“As such, there is no issue of the crime desk being dissolved,” he said in a statement here, yesterday.
He was clarifying on a report published in ‘semutharian’ blog post which had commented on RTM news.
According to the blog post reported on Feb 18, since the beginning of this month, RTM newsroom in Angkasapuri had “closed down” its crime desk which had been operating with three cameramen and five reporters.
For crime news coverage, Wan Bukhari said work was running as usual and coverage depended on news value.
“The news coverage need not necessarily be carried out by a stringer (part-time) cameraman but could be covered by a permanent cameraman.
“In the case of certain news coverage, especially those with urgency, we need not follow the procedures strictly, however, it must be approved by the chief reporter,” he said.
According to Wan Bukhari with the restructuring exercise and streamlining of procedures, there was more systematic monitoring and more equitable distribution of tasks. — Bernama