Reminiscing TV Subtitling in conjunction with RTM 75th Anniversary

*Picture courtesy of Radio Televisyen Malaysia in conjunction with its 75th Anniversary.

This entry was initially posted on facebook on April 1, 2021.

Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) celebrates its 75th year this month!

For those who do not watch television anymore, RTM was Malaysia's pioneer television and radio services broadcast organisation that provided entertainment and information way before cable and Net-based medium came into being in this country. More about RTM can be found here: https://www.rtm.gov.my/index.php/en/about-us/background.

Anyway, I used to be a part-time TV subtitlist at RTM circa 1994-1996. I did subtitles for Movies on 2, The X-Files and local English cooking shows among others.

When I started out, I was a secondary school teacher. Wanting some excitement, I went for the translation audition with my ex-schoolmate Nora armed with newly bought Kamus Dwi Bahasa DBP. Both Nora and I got the job.

Part-timers were coordinated by one Encik Yusuf. This was pre-digital days. We were given a schedule, had to collect the film reel and watch it in a specific place at Angkasapuri. Most of the time, the reels didn't come with scripts so we had to make notes, audio recordings and do our own research.

The translated dialogue for each programme would then have to be typed on paper line by line and passed on to RTM staff to be inserted into a format to match the videos.

During air-time, we the translators would have to be present in the conti to key in the lines to match what was aired. Never mind if it was the midnight show, we had to be to be there physically, awake and alert.

The system went digital some months later when RTM purchased a digital subtitle software. After that we could just record the subtitles into the system and the subtitles appeared automatically without needing us to be at the conti.

I left the world of TV subtitling when I had a career change. But it will always be etched in my mind as an exciting and quite an educational time in my life.

I was called "artis berjadual" at RTM haha. I met fellow translators like Zuraida who became my travelling partner (and also a very dear friend) on my first ever trip to Europe. Tengku Fatimah (a corporate lady whom I held in awe) and Kak Mimi (kakak ni bawak sepanduk during student protests maybe in the early 80s / late 70s?) who enriched my perspective on work life and life in general.

And the experience I gained from how programming is done through interaction with the RTM workforce. The celebrities I met. From there I also understood how quality is important in creating subtitles for the consumption of the general public.

I shall never forget that phase of my life. It was an important building block in my chosen career as a writer.

Happy 75th Anniversary, RTM.

#RTM75tahun

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