RETAINING that certain professionalism when she is on air comes easily to seasoned anchorwoman Wan Zaleha Radzi. Undisputedly one of the most glamorous and best TV personalities ever discovered, Wan Zaleha has often been misconstrued as aloof and proud when she is off the air.
``Do not confuse aloof with dignity. You have to retain a certain level of dignity, which is called the balancing instinct. It's important to keep that sense of dignity so that you don't go overboard,'' said the affable KL-born TV personality.
This ``dignity persona'' that Wan Zaleha is talking about does make her stand out among her peers. Another reason why no one could quite match her charming appeal is that Wan Zaleha had set the standards for many TV3 comperes to emulate. Her fluency in Bahasa Malaysia and English was indeed her forte.
Who could forget those cute dimples, expressive round eyes and beautiful smile, which made her so endearing to home viewers?
This attractive, confident lass surprised her fans when she decided to quit at the height of her career. Still, five years after her unceremonious farewell to the Duniamu TV3 station, most would agree that this ``TV3 glamour girl'' is still irreplaceable.
The petite announcer regards the effect she has on pseudo-Wan Zalehas as most flattering.
Wan Zaleha modestly says: ``I have a different style now. The corporate style which I adopted then suited the image that I wanted to project for the station. It's original, but it's not the best.
``When I look at my old tapes, I will criticise like crazy. Nothing seemed right,'' said the youthful looking 36-year-old, who joined ANB Studios two years ago.
(ANB Studios is a leading independent content provider for non-fiction programmes in Asia.)
According to Wan Zaleha, she never lost touch with broadcasting during her five-year break, as she was doing voice-overs for Television Corporation of Singapore.
Gone is the stiff, modulated style she adopted when hosting Majalah 3. In its place, you'll find a fresh, exciting and original approach.
``You have to move with the times, and since more young people are tuning in the programmes I am hosting, I have to adopt a more vibrant, brazen and jazzy style.''
This is particularly effective for Young Malaysian Incorporated? (YIM?), a talk show produced by ANB Studios and screened over TV3. Here student leaders come together to discuss current issues, ranging from education and social to politics.
Another exciting programme produced by ANB Studios is the IT programme, MSC Online, which is presented by Wan Zaleha, Paula Malai Ali and Joanna Chan.
As part of the ANB Studios team, Wan Zaleha's main task is presenting, producing, contributing ideas and concepts.
``Everybody has input here. We normally sit down and conduct our brainstorming sessions. We emphasise on teamwork,'' said the former St Mary Girls School student.
ANB Studios was recently awarded the rights to produce a series called Future Cities with the Madrid-based institution Fundacion Metropoli.
The programme was conceptualised and produced by ANB Studios. It will highlight 13 cities around the world, including Kuala Lumpur, and will be aired in nine countries on selected broadcasting stations in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The research alone will take up to one whole year to complete, while the cost of producing the whole programme is about RM20mil.
Future Cities will surely make Malaysians proud, as Kuala Lumpur, which has been passed over by tourists and regarded as a transit point, will be given a fitting treatment this time around.
For Future Cities, according to Wan Zaleha, ANB will be working with a diversed group of academicians and civil authorities, such as the Eisenhower Foundation, MIT and Euskal Telebista.
Wan Zaleha, who joined broadcast journalism in TV3 soon after she completed her degree in Economics at the University of Northern Illinois in 1984, said she never regretted making the career move.
``It is not the popularity that I was after. The challenge was really demanding. I love meeting people, and I have this curiosity of getting acquainted with people from different walks of life. When I am touched and enthralled by something, I want to share it with the viewers. With visuals, you can do all this,'' said Wan Zaleha, the eldest of four siblings.
``No matter what subject you tackle, you have to be a temporary expert on the subject. The discovery process is just as important as presenting the stuff you have. Then, there's the interview, which requires a different knack. You can't be too guarded if you want your interviewees to open up.''
There are many memorable moments that Wan Zaleha treasures. Some of the episodes in Majalah 3 are truly unforgettable.
Looking back, Wan Zaleha feels journalism has taken a different approach.
``To research, you can get all the information you want from the Internet - no need to rely solely on the library anymore.''
Wan Zaleha looks forward to handling more challenging assignments for ANB Studios. Soon, she will be globetrotting to complete the filming of Future Cities.
At home, Wan Zaleha devotes her time to her doting husband, Peter Imran Winton, 52, the national show jumping coach whom she married two years ago.
Horse riding and attending to her beautiful horse Bravo de Paulstra is her way of unwinding after a hard day's work.
BY ZIEMAN - PUBLISHED 4/2/2001
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