IPOH 14 November 2009

Perak has become the first state in Malaysia to have its own private digital television network.

Known as PerakTV, this indoor digital media (IDM) was introduced to the invited guest at the Dewan Serbaguna, Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan, at the soft launch today. The IDM is a joint venture effort between KPERAK INC Corporation and a private company, Simfoni Maya Sdn. Bhd. (SMSB).

The soft launch was officiated by Menteri Besar, Dato' Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir.

According to Dato' Yaacob Nordin, the CEO of KPERAK INC Corporation, in deploying and implementing PerakTV, the people of Perak will be able to have access to information directly delivered to them at various locations with contents customized and relevant to them and their locality.

As opposed to broadcasting, PerakTV operates on the IP-based platform of narrowcasting that enable the operators to focus on local news and events customizable for specific audience, he said.

"Hence, it can be a situation where PerakTV will show different contents at some or all 300 screens throughout the State.

"Surely, this is a venture to catapult Perak in a most innovative manner to ride the new media advancements and have them delivered to the people of Perak,'' he said in his welcoming address at the soft launching of PerakTV here today.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Latt Sharizan Abdullah, the President and CEO of Simfoni Maya said, one common feature of digital media network is to provide media attention to customers while they wait in a captive environment to entertain, inform and serve them in a way that has been done before.

"Indeed, this is an exciting time and being the first state to launch and deliver this new media to its people, PerakTV will surely put the state in the forefront of an innovative and interactive venture," he said.

KPERAK and Simfoni Maya signed an agreement to install and maintain the private TV network. Three hundreds LCD screens will be placed in strategic locations around the state. The first phase of the installation has been done at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan.

The next phase will start in December 2009.

Besides placing and maintaining 300 LCD screens around the state, KPERAK and Simfoni Maya also agreed to establish a broadcasting centre at Level 8, PTTC to serve as control room for all the contents streaming and maintenance of the network.