TV2 (Malaysia)


TV2 is a Malaysian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by the Radio Television Malaysia, a division of the Malaysian Government. TV2 is now broadcasting 24 hours a day since 3 April 2006.

History

RTM TV2 began operations on 17 November 1969, when Televisyen Malaysia bifurcated into two channels. It offers local and international entertainment programs, films and dramas. Some elements such as sex and violence are censored or edited out as RTM is one of the government departments.
On 1 April 2019, TV2 has started its HDTV broadcasting in conjunction of RTM's 73rd anniversary, and available exclusively through myFreeview DTT service on channel 102. Viewers are advised to turn the decoder on standby mode or rescan to receive the changes.
Before August 2004, TV2 used to be RTM's only English channel. The former slogan used before August 2004 was "The Golden Channel". In 1994, RTM saw the need for the Malay-market demand and in December 1994, TV2 began broadcasting Malay programming bit by bit when "Berita Tengah Malam", began airing on 27 December 1994 but from the start of 1996, the late news bulletin moved to TV1, leaving only news in English, Mandarin and Tamil to TV2. However, more children's programming in Malay meant for weekends, premiered in 1996, followed by more Malay dramas during primetime, in September 1996, thus saw the return of Malay-language programming to this channel. More Malay programming were introduced even further, especially for drama, children's programmes and variety until RTM restructured all the RTM television stations in 2003, with the English news programme, "News On 1" debuted on TV1 in September that year and all kinds of local programming in Mandarin, English and Tamil, moved to TV1 and more Malay dramas, variety and all kinds of entertainment programming moved to TV2, but the news in Mandarin and Tamil, remained on TV2 and shifted to primetime slots. The restructure was only short lived but certain programming in English remained on TV1 until 2007. In 2004, TV2's slogan was changed from English to Malay, which resulted in a new slogan: "Saluran Famili Anda".
Since 3 April 2006, this channel began to broadcast 24 hours a day, offering more programmes for viewers who stay up late to watch television. Its sister channel, TV1 followed suit more than 6 years later on 21 August 2012.
On 1 January 2009, RTM television stations were once again restructured by Dato' Ahmad Shabery Cheek the then Information Minister. TV2 got a new slogan: Dunia Ria.
TV Pendidikan programmes were aired on Wednesdays and Thursdays through this channel while TV1 aired TV Pendidikan on Mondays and Tuesdays from 1972 to 1987, From 1988 to 1999, all TV Pendidikan programmes were aired only on TV2.
Until 1991, TV2 only broadcast in the early evenings, particularly at 4:50pm from Mondays to Thursdays and slightly earlier in the afternoons at 1:50pm from Fridays to Sundays. In 1992, a morning broadcast was introduced from Fridays to Sundays. Later in 2000, TV2 is the last channel in Malaysia to launch daytime transmissions by opening at midday except Friday and the weekends, where they startup in the morning. From 2 September 2002, they opened its broadcasts at 9am daily, then signed-on at 6am daily in 2005 and later commenced 24-hour transmissions since April 2006.
TV1, TV2, TVi and the radio stations under Radio Televisyen Malaysia broadcasts from their headquarters in Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur.
TV2 is also available on Astro channel 102.
TV2 available over the RTMi test DVB-T transmission over 658mHz ;MHz, SID 2. As of 1 January 2007, it is also available over a test DMB-T/H transmission on Band III. TV2 is also available in neighbouring countries such as, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Southern Thailand and Indonesia, as well as some parts of Mindanao in the Philippines via terrestrial spillover but the signal is mostly weaker or stronger and on Singtel TV. TV2 is the only free-to-air channel in Malaysia that offers Tamil and Hindi programming for the Indian community in Malaysia. A daily news bulletin in Tamil, Berita Tamil, broadcasts nightly at 7:30pm.

Slogans

In 2007, this channel has been criticised for not airing most of the F1 events. Many viewers are upset that RTM is not serious about the coverage and feel that the telecast rights should be given back to private TV stations.