Pusat Sumber Penyiaran (PSP)

Overview

The Pusat Sumber Penyiaran (PSP), or Broadcasting Resource Centre, is the official archive and library of Jabatan Penyiaran Malaysia (the Department of Broadcasting Malaysia), better known as Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM). Headquartered at Angkasapuri Kota Media in Kuala Lumpur, the PSP serves as the custodian of RTM's broadcast and non-broadcast archival materials, providing collection management, cataloguing, and access services for the national broadcaster's extensive audiovisual heritage.

History and Institutional Context

RTM, Malaysia's national public broadcaster, was established on 1 April 1946 as Radio Malaya, making it the first and oldest broadcaster in the country. Television broadcasting commenced on 28 December 1963 with the launch of Televisyen Malaysia. In 1969, the radio and television services were merged to form the present-day RTM. The Pusat Sumber Penyiaran was developed to manage the growing archive of broadcast materials accumulated over RTM's decades of operation, encompassing radio, television, film, and photography collections that document Malaysian public life and broadcasting history from the mid-twentieth century onward.

Collections and Holdings

The PSP holds four principal categories of material. Broadcast archive materials include internal productions used for broadcast purposes—drama, entertainment programming, documentaries, sports coverage, and news content—in formats ranging from Open Reel (C-Format) and Beta Analog through Beta Digital, XDCAM, and file-based digital formats. Non-broadcast archive materials include stock footage, clean feeds, and master production materials. The photo collection spans photographs from the 1970s to the present, covering RTM programming, events, and public affairs. The PSP also holds a syndicated collection of overseas materials in XDCAM format, licensed from international distributors for broadcast purposes.

Relevance to Journalism and Media History

As the archive of Malaysia's oldest and only national public broadcaster, the PSP preserves an irreplaceable record of Malaysian broadcasting history, political coverage, cultural programming, and news media from the colonial and post-independence eras. Its holdings are essential for journalists, media historians, and researchers studying the development of Malaysian radio and television.

Access and Services

The PSP provides borrowing and consultation services to RTM staff and researchers. The portal is accessible online at psp.rtm.gov.my. Access policies and borrowing periods are governed by published regulations available through the official portal.