Broadcasting bill controversy continues<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The long-awaited bill on broadcasting continues
\nto spark controversy in its making despite government efforts to
\nbe as accommodative as possible, a legislator said in a seminar
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Marwah Daud Ibrahim, a member of the House of Representatives
\nfrom Golkar faction involved in the deliberation of the bill,
\nsaid she is skeptical whether the future law could regulate the
\nintangible process of electronic information transmission.<\/p>\n
\"Wouldn't the bill restrain us while foreign broadcasts freely
\nreach our audiences?\" she said, adding that the government has
\nbeen \"very patient and accommodative.\"<\/p>\n
The one day-seminar was held by the Indonesia chapter of the
\nInternational Advertising Association (IAA), to provide
\ncontributive insights into the bill's deliberation.<\/p>\n
The bill has been widely criticized for its \"restrictive\"
\nnature. If passed, observers believe, the bill could be used by
\nthe government to expand its control over the media.<\/p>\n
Various suggestions have been proposed, including an
\nindependent self-regulatory body serving as the media's watchdog,
\nshe added.<\/p>\n
Erman Rajaguguk, a professor of law at the University of
\nIndonesia, listed 10 shortcomings of the bill which he said
\nconveyed mixed messages and rendered it ineffective.<\/p>\n
As an example Erman cited article 9 of the bill which
\nprohibits private television and radio stations from being owned
\nby organizations with vested interests in politics or religion.<\/p>\n
\"If audiences are not interested, they can shift to other
\nchannels, but at least they have the chance to choose,\" he said.<\/p>\n
House member Abu Hasan Sazili, chairman of the bill's
\ndeliberation team, said that the team is proposing administrative
\nand criminal sanctions for violators.<\/p>\n
\"It is equally difficult to set the regulating standards with
\nour weak law enforcement,\" Abu told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Abu hopes that the deliberation of the bill will be completed
\nby next month. \"But that is not a rigid deadline,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Two foreign speakers at the seminar advocated that the
\ndeliberating team weighs heavily the concept of freedom of
\nexpression in drafting the bill.<\/p>\n
Senyon Kim, a Korean IAA member, said that the free flow of
\ncommercial information will boost fair and healthy competition
\namong media.<\/p>\n
Javed Jabbar, a former Pakistani minister of information,
\nadded that freedom of expression is less important compared to
\nthe citizen's right to receive information.<\/p>\n
\"After all, the concept of freedom of expression depends on
\nthe direction that the society and the country wishes to take,\"
\nthe outspoken speaker said. (14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/broadcasting-bill-controversy-continues-1447893297",
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