Radio Television Malaysia (Radio Televisyen Malaysia, RTM) is the public broadcaster in Malaysia. It was founded in 1946 as Radio Malaya. In 1963, when the Malaysian state was created, Radio Malaya was renamed Radio Malaysia. The same year, Televisyen Malaysia was established. The radio and television broadcasters were merged in 1969. RTM today runs three television channels and a network of over 30 radio channels, both nationwide and regional.
Media assets
Television: TV1, TV2, TV Okey, Berita RTM, Sukan RTM, TV6, Dewan Rakyat, Dewan Negara
Radio: National- Radio Klasik, Nasional FM, Asyik FM, TraXX FM, Ai FM, Minnal FM; Regional- KL FM, Selangor FM, Sabah V FM, Sarawak FM, Labuan FM, Kedah FM, Kelantan FM, Terengganu FM, Pahang FM, Johor FM, Negeri FM, Perak FM, Mutiara FM, Perlis FM, Melaka FM, Sabah FM; Local- Wai FM, Red FM, Langkawi FM, Limbang FM, Miri FM, Sri Aman FM, Bintulu FM, Sibu FM, Sandakan FM, Tawau FM, Keningau FM
State Media Matrix Typology: State-Controlled (SC)
Ownership and governance
RTM operates as a government department under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia. It was established as such through the Communications and Multimedia Act of 1998 (also known in Malaysia as the Broadcasting Act). The ministry has full decision-making power when it comes to the appointment of the RTM’s top management. RTM is literally housed in the ministry’s headquarters.
Source of funding and budget
RTM is funded through an allocation from the state budget. However, the broadcaster also generates financing through sale of ads and sponsorship. All this income, however, is sent back to the government. In 2019, the broadcaster generated some MYR 22m (US$ 5m) from ad sales. The government allocated MYR 105m (US$ 25m) to the station in 2019, according to data from the ministry. No more recent financial data have been published by the authorities.
Editorial independence
As a government department run by the Communications and Multimedia Ministry, RTM is tasked to support the government policies as well as to introduce and explain these policies to the public through radio and television programs.
The 1988 Broadcasting Act plays an important role in Malaysian broadcasting, giving the government enormous power to decide what programs should be produced in the country’s public media. Journalists and experts interviewed for this report say that public officials often reach out to RTM’s management to ask them what topics to cover.
No statute and no oversight mechanism that would validate the independence of RTM have been identified.
October 2023