KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — A no-pay television channel dedicated to sports programmes will be available in the country by April, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said today.
He said the free sports channel is being developed together with national broadcaster RTM.
“Of course, we have the issue of content, the issue of cost, so we have to weigh several options, and we hope that by the time we get to maybe either early or late April, we will be in a position to make a full announcement.
“In fact, I hope by that time we will be able to launch the channel. Right now, again, I reiterate there is a RTM Sukan, a channel online that people can view, but I’d like to see it also be on terrestrial,” he told reporters at a Chinese New Year open house he was hosting at Taman Sri Sentosa here as the Lembah Pantai MP.
Fahmi noted that the government agency already has RTMKlik but said the new sports channel will be televised nationwide and make sports programmes accessible to all without incurring additional payment.
RTMKlik is an online streaming channel available that can be downloaded on mobile devices.
RTM Sukan is an existing channel on RTMKlik.
Fahmi also said that having the new sports channel will free up space for RTM to air other programmes on its two terrestrial channels, TV1 and TV2.
He said the new channel is part of his ministry’s initiatives to popularise local athletes when asked if it will show only Malaysian sports.
