Groups seek revision of broadcasting bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thirty groups from various professional fields
\nhave united in their fight to revise a broadcasting bill as
\nlegislators continued to snub proposed revisions to the bill,
\nwhich is entering its penultimate deliberation stage at the House
\nof Representatives.<\/p>\n
The 30 groups signed a declaration on Thursday to band
\ntogether in their struggle to revise the bill, which they charge
\ncurbs media freedom.<\/p>\n
Most of the groups hail from the media with organizations such
\nas the Indonesian Journalists Association, the Alliance of
\nIndependent Journalists, the Association of Indonesian
\nBroadcasting Television and the Press Council.<\/p>\n
However the diverse background of the groups also includes the
\nAll Indonesian Cinema Organization, the Association of Indonesian
\nCigarette Producers, and the Association of Indonesian Public
\nRelations Companies.<\/p>\n
The groups also stated in their declaration that the freedom
\nof speech, the dissemination and right to obtain information is
\nthreatened under the bill as it, among other things, places the
\ngovernment as the supreme authority issuing permission for radio
\nfrequency broadcasts.<\/p>\n
"The bill is very repressive. Instead of replacing the old
\nauthoritarian law, legislators have made a more authoritarian
\none," Azkarmin Zaini from the Press Council told a media
\nconference here.<\/p>\n
Coordinator of the Indonesian Press and Broadcasting Society
\n(MPPI) Leo Batubara said the House and government have once again
\ncome up with a broadcasting bill that restricts media freedom.<\/p>\n
He pointed to several articles that he said were clearly
\nunconstitutional.<\/p>\n
Article 16, while it is aimed at avoiding the monopolization
\nof technology and capital, is said to be too extreme by
\nprohibiting the cross-ownership of media enterprises. It prevents
\nan individual from owning various mass-media organizations.<\/p>\n
More concern was expressed on Article 8 which stipulates that
\nthe Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has the authority to
\nrecommend a broadcasting station for a license, impose sanctions
\nand establish a code of conduct for the broadcasting community.<\/p>\n
Leo worried about the vast authority being given to KPI,
\narguing that sanctions should be imposed only after hearing the
\ndefense of broadcast stations or after a court ruling had been
\nissued.<\/p>\n
Gilang Iskandar of the Indonesian Television Community said
\nthat hopefully the House will openly listen and discuss possible
\nchanges at the next session.<\/p>\n
"Other countries will laugh at us if we impose this law," he
\nsaid. (hdn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/groups-seek-revision-of-broadcasting-bill-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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