'Dangdut' music finds a spot on 'MTV'<\/p>\n
By Stevie Emilia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ask a sampling of teenagers their favorite TV
\nprograms, and you probably would not be surprised to find most of
\nthe answers start with MTV.<\/p>\n
MTV Most Wanted, MTV Land, MTV Seratus Persen Indonesia (100
\npercent Indonesia), MTV Getar Cinta (Love Vibration) and so on.<\/p>\n
Do not assume all of them only air videos of international
\nartists like Alanis Morisette, Backstreet Boys, Boyzone, Fugees,
\nMadonna and Sheryl Crow only. Local singers and bands such as
\nChrisye, Reza, Krisdayanti, Dewa 19, Gigi and Slank can also be
\ngracing the air and soundwaves on MTV.<\/p>\n
Like it or not, MTV is now playing a bigger role in the
\nIndonesian music industry by providing heavy airtime for local
\nvideos, thanks to cooperation with local private TV station
\nANteve since May 1995.<\/p>\n
MTV is broadcast about 39 hours per week on ANteve -- which
\nenable local viewers to see the programs without paying -- and 24
\nhours via satellite.<\/p>\n
MTV Southeast Asia managing director Sudhanshu Sarronwala said
\nMTV ratings in Indonesia were among its highest in the world and
\nit was considered an important market through the relationship
\nwith ANteve.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia actually sets the benchmark for other MTVs. Why
\ncan't we get rating like we get here in Indonesia? Our ratings in
\nIndonesia are so high for music-based programs. I think that's
\nvery, very encouraging," he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
"I think the response of Indonesian viewers is very good and
\nit's very much because we've been able to provide them with what
\nthey really want it. It's been a two-way process."<\/p>\n
Sarronwala is responsible for overseeing advertising sales,
\nnetwork development, marketing and communications, as well as
\nlocal creative production and programming in MTV Southeast Asia's
\nmarket in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the
\nPhilippines.<\/p>\n
MTV Southeast Asia is one of the three 24-hour channels of MTV
\nNetworks Asia, a joint venture of MTV Networks, a division of
\nentertainment giant Viacom Inc., and top record label Polygram
\nN.V. The others are MTV Mandarin and MTV India.<\/p>\n
A recent survey discovered MTV was watched by about 16 million
\nhouseholds in Indonesia, reaching more than 50 percent of those
\naged between 15 and 34, the station's targeted viewers.<\/p>\n
Another survey by Asia Market Intelligence and Bates
\nAdvertising last year found MTV was top of the 10 coolest brands
\namong respondents aged 13 to 23.<\/p>\n
Sarronwala attributed the outstanding results to MTV's
\npersistence in keeping up with what consumers' want.<\/p>\n
"MTV is about entertaining young adults through music, young
\nadults between 15 and 34 who are, for some, looking for
\ninternational music, or some Indonesian music... so it's really
\nabout the consumers, not so much about the music. What the
\nconsumers want to hear," said Sarronwala, 35, who took up his
\npresent position in November last year.<\/p>\n
MTV produces seven special programs for Indonesia: MTV Wow,
\nMTV Seratus Persen Indonesia, MTV Ampuh, Getar Cinta, MTV Land,
\nMTV Most Wanted-Indonesia and Lanosta. It also produced two
\nadditional programs MTV Live and Louds and MTV Non-Stop Hits.
\nMost of the programs, from 70 percent to 80 percent, air videos
\nby local artists.<\/p>\n
Some of the Indonesian musicians' videos are also broadcast
\nthrough MTV Asia to Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Papua New
\nGuinea, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and South
\nKorea.<\/p>\n
Sarronwala referred to Indonesia as the most exciting music
\nmarket in all Asia because of its variety. "Indonesian musicians
\nare very talented."<\/p>\n
What is the standard for local musicians to appear on MTV?<\/p>\n
"The question is about what the audience likes. You see MTV is
\na platform, MTV really does not have standing judgment. I think
\nMTV is about providing entertainment, providing music targeting
\nyoung adults and MTV will create the platform to reach those
\nyoung adults.<\/p>\n
"Just sometimes the video is not accepted because there could
\nbe religiously insensitive, obscene (material), that's our own
\nstandard. But I don't believe MTV has a standing judgment."<\/p>\n
Even traditional music, he added, could land a spot if it was
\nsupported by an audience.<\/p>\n
MTV is ready to take the next step. In February, it will
\nintroduce its latest project, addressing the largest music gender
\nin Indonesia, dangdut. The new show will be called Salam Dangdut
\nand is considered a tribute to that gender of music in particular
\nand Indonesian music in general.<\/p>\n
"MTV, being about music and being about young people, has to
\ntake it (dangdut) into account and learn about it. We studied it
\nfor some months and now we're being able to address it."<\/p>\n
MTV is producing the new show itself.<\/p>\n
"Like I said before, MTV is really about the consumers. What
\nthe consumers want to hear. And yes, they would like to see how
\nMTV presents dangdut and that's exactly what we would like to
\nprovide. It's really up to us how we represent it on the
\nchannel," said Sarronwala, who was previously senior vice
\npresident, marketing and communications for MTV Networks Asia.<\/p>\n
Just like TV channels all over the world, MTV also expected
\nthe new show will further boost its ratings here.<\/p>\n
"Yes, definitely (we expect to) boost the rating. And I think
\nagain, it's one step beyond boosting the rating, but also
\npresenting the largest musical gender in the country," Sarronwala
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to the plan, the new show will not only be broadcast
\nhere but also across Southeast Asia, such as in Malaysia and the
\nPhilippines, and possibly, as far as India.<\/p>\n
"It could be interesting to show it in India. There's a lot of
\nsimilarity (between dangdut and India's music) as the origins of
\ndangdut have a link to Hindu style music gender, and I'm quite
\nwilling to experiment with that."<\/p>\n
After much attention given to local music, not to mention
\nIndonesia's large following of MTV viewers, is an Indonesia-
\ndedicated channel, like MTV India, a possibility.<\/p>\n
"Yes, that's a vision. At some point in time, I hope it's not
\ntoo far away, there will be MTV Indonesia... I can be quite sure
\nthat Indonesia will be among the first countries in Southeast
\nAsia to have a dedicated channel."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dangdut-music-finds-a-spot-on-mtv-1447893297",
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