BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

RADIO Televisyen Brunei (RTB) as the sole broadcaster in the country is positioning itself as a mover in digital technology development and will be optimising the use of technology to gain maximum benefits from it for the populace.

The launch of the RTB news website yesterday represented the state broadcaster's way of adapting to changes in the broadcasting field, said Acting Director of RTB Hj Mahrub Hj Murni to The Brunei Times.

"We face changes (from time to time) and those changes require us to change," he said.

"We discovered that RTB news is one of the most popular programmes among the public, hence the launching of the news website," he explained.

The RTB news website can be used to disseminate knowledge of Brunei's development and progress in the country and insyaAllah, can also be used as a means to widen the public's knowledge of events in the regional and international arena.

With the launching of the website, the most important thing now is that it has to be constantly updated so that viewers will get the latest news updates, Hj Mahrub said.

He also spoke of how the website can benefit students. "For students, the website will be able to help develop their cognitive development. It also aims to aid in preparation for their studies such as General Paper, Malay and English Language."

He added that it can also enrich their mind, sharpen their skills in writing and speaking in public.

For international viewers, the website will give them an insight and deepen their knowledge and understanding on Brunei's development and progress, said the acting director.

The news website has come less than two years since the launch of RTB City, a new and updated version of RTB's website. Hj Mahrub said that RTB city has its own capabilities in disseminating the roles and responsibilities of RTB as well as informing the public on important and relevant matters regarding the country.

"RTB aims to fill all the choices of broadcasting mediums in addition to television," he said.

"With the website, viewers can read, watch and at the same time interact by uploading relevant news materials to be shared with others," he added.

"Through this, we are not only enriching our news, but also educating the society to be more responsible in sharing information to be channeled to the society.

"This demand is a great sense of responsibility for one involved in journalism," he added.

In line with RTB's objective of educating the people of Brunei, the news website also contains an application called i-Citizen, which aims to provide a platform for the public to be creative in the journalism field.

"The news uploaded into i-Citizen must be newsworthy. If the news have importance and relevance (to Brunei), we will air it on television," he said, adding that this is the speciality of the website.

"The move is in line with the government's efforts in e-Government projects towards improving the quality of RTB's services and civil services," he said.

RTB will develop according to the desire and progress of the country in the broadcasting field, Hj Mahrub added.

Brunei can expect more from RTB, with more plans in store to provide Bruneians with another form of high quality broadcasting dimension, he said.

"RTB also hopes to broadcast a high definition (HD) live transmission in the future. When the time comes, we will be launching it officially. Now the plan is still under planning and trial process," he said.

The Brunei Times