Crackdown planned on illegal laser discs distribution<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Head of the City Film Control Agency Semyon
\nSinulingga said yesterday that all illegal laser discs and video
\nfilms currently in circulation in the city will be destroyed as
\nof next month.<\/p>\n
\"Any laser disc and video film which do not bear stickers from
\nthe Film Censorship Institute, formerly called the Film
\nCensorship Board, will be confiscated and later destroyed,\"
\nSemyon was quoted by Antara yesterday.<\/p>\n
He said his agency will launch an operation against the
\ndistribution of the illegal articles as of next month.<\/p>\n
Based on Information Minister's Decree No. 7\/1994, issued on
\nOct. 28 last year, all discs and video films to be distributed
\nhave to pass through the Film Censorship Institute.<\/p>\n
There are three categories in the screening of films for
\ncirculation in the country: \"fully accepted\", which means the
\nrecording is passed without any censoring; \"accepted but subject
\nto censorship\" and \"rejected\".<\/p>\n
Recordings that have been accepted will bear stickers from the
\ninstitute, while those that have not been checked by the
\ncensorship board are considered illegal.<\/p>\n
Laser discs were previously banned under Ministry of
\nInformation Regulation No. 20\/1983, which was issued following
\nreports of widespread distribution of smuggled laser discs. This
\nregulation was not fully enforced, thereby enabling the open sale
\nand distribution of these articles.<\/p>\n
Semyon reminded retailers and rental companies of the
\nrecordings that April will be the deadline for the checking of
\nlaser disc and video films at the Film Censorship Institute.<\/p>\n
He explained that the Ministry of Information has assigned the
\nVideo Film Importer Association (Asirevi) to be in charge of
\ncollecting data on the number of laser discs and video films in
\npublic circulation before reporting them to the censorship
\ninstitute.<\/p>\n
Asirevi has been appointed the sole importer of laser discs
\nand video films.<\/p>\n
Data at the city's chapter of the Ministry of Information
\nshows that 366 film titles of laser discs and video cassettes
\nhave been submitted to the institute for censorship.<\/p>\n
According to the data, the number of laser discs and video
\ncassettes registered at rental centers in Central Jakarta totals
\n2,353 laser discs and 2,353 video cassettes, in South Jakarta
\n5,501 discs and 6,957 cassettes, and in West Jakarta 7,652 discs
\nand 8,389 cassettes.<\/p>\n
In North Jakarta there are 7,100 laser discs and 7,595 video
\ncassettes and in East Jakarta 1,416 discs and 1,562 cassettes.<\/p>\n
Semyon said that in line with the new decree, the censorship
\non discs and video cassettes applied will be stricter than on
\nmovie in picture theaters.<\/p>\n
\"The stricter censorship is applied because laser discs and
\nvideo films have far broader audiences than cinemas,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The stricter censorship is expected to protect the public from
\nany negative impacts which may arise from films, or discs, which
\nare not in line with the guidelines and objectives of the
\ncountry's film industry.<\/p>\n
The censorship is also expected to maintain the cultural
\nvalues of the nation, as well as to monitor the community's
\nappreciation of films being circulated. (hhr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/crackdown-planned-on-illegal-laser-discs-distribution-1447893297",
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