THE newly-launched Angkasapuri Media City will emulate those in Dubai, Manchester, Singapore and Sydney when fully developed. 

The project, which began on Dec 12, 2016, is envisioned as a national broadcasting centre and icon, especially in the area of digital technology, said caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob when opening the complex on Oct 26. 

It provides a sophisticated and high-tech broadcasting infrastructure, in line with the government’s plan to develop digital television broadcast services. Its benchmark would be Hollywood in the US or BBC studios in the UK. 

The Angkasapuri Media City could also follow the footsteps of the content industry in Japan and South Korea, which centres on local culture and lifestyle with universally shared values. 

Ismail Sabri also sees the participation and presence of various local broadcasters in the future at the media city. 

With a total cost of RM860 million, the Angkasapuri Media City development encompasses office space and technical areas measuring 62,027 sq m. It is to be fully equipped with technological equipment, system and centralised broadcast material archives. 

The complex has 18 floors of office space, an auditorium with 1,000 people capacity, a music recording studio and a music practice studio, three TV studios (M1, M2 and M3), a multi-storey parking space, a plaza and an outdoor broadcast vehicle garage. It also boasts of the longest escalator in the country’s government offices at 34.5m long. 

At the opening, Ismail Sabri said the technology available at the media complex must be utilised to create clearer content, as well as radio and television programmes, besides providing information and entertainment to the people. 

He said the development of the broadcasting industry is closely related to three main components, namely the development of technology, the creative production of content and the availability of infrastructure and facilities. 

As such, the Angkasapuri Media City is a strategic move taken by the government to provide a conducive medium and a suitable ecosystem for the local broadcasting industry. 

Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa hopes that the facilities available will be fully utilised by creative industry players and private broadcasting agencies. 

He said the facilities are not exclusive to Radio Television Malaysia (RTM), but are also open to other media agencies. 

“We hope that artists will produce creative works using the facilities provided. The same goes for the creative and broadcasting industry, take full advantage of the facilities, don’t let this be a white elephant project,” he said at the opening on Oct 26. — TMR / pic BERNAMA

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• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition