Bandar Seri Begawan - A recent structural overhaul at Radio Televisyen Brunei (RTB) aims to raise the effectiveness of the state owned broadcaster's reach to its audience.

Towards this objective, many initiatives have been taken, including the enhancement of its organisation's human capital and the re-engineering of its technical capabilities, giving television and radio services a fresh breath of air.

Speaking at the launching of the RTB Carnival at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre yesterday, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Abd Wahab bin Juned said a number of major revamps have been made to its approach and method in the delivery of news, current affairs and documentaries.

In its bid to attract more viewers, the deputy minister said RTB has also made efforts to produce local programmes in a number of new spheres.

He also said, His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam had consented for the structural overhaul of RTB in October last year.

"This shows His Majesty's concern to ensure RTB's sustainability in terms of its structure, work culture, capability and productivity in fulfilling its responsibilities to the country."

A number of measures have been implemented, focusing on six key characteristics including the hiring of well-qualified officers in specific areas; human capital building through job placements in new structures; skills upgrade and promotion; restructuring of roles and responsibilities in units which focuses on innovation; strengthening engineering capabilities and other technical areas; expanding the role of the deputy director by splitting it into two areas and the consolidation of service schemes that promise a more systematic career development.

"All these changes aspire to open up more avenues for human capital building and quality of broadcasting software."

Through these changes, he said RTB is aiming for a more focused and oriented management, a more efficient and effective work culture, division of roles based on qualification and capabilities, strengthening of technical services, enhancement of skills, production of various high-quality programmes that fit well with the community and increase in viewership and meeting the government's goals.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin