House urges govt to issue ruling on live TV coverage<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives urged yesterday
\nMinister of Information R. Hartono to issue a ruling on live TV
\nbroadcasts.<\/p>\n
Hisyam Usamah and Muchlis of the United Development Party
\n(PPP) and Y.B. Wiyanjono of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\ntold Hartono in a hearing with House Commission I for security,
\ndefense and information that the newly enacted Broadcasting Law
\ndoes not clearly stipulate a live coverage ban imposed on private
\nTV stations.<\/p>\n
\"It is important to end uncertainty over what sorts of
\nprograms private stations are not allowed to broadcast live,\"
\nHisyam said.<\/p>\n
\"Must private TV stations ask for the government's approval to
\ncover accidents live, which are certainly unexpected and
\nunpremeditated events?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
The three were responding to Hartono's explanation of a live
\nbroadcasting ban on Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad's address
\nin a House plenary session on the government's economic reform
\npackage on Nov. 10.<\/p>\n
It was the third hearing in the House on the controversial
\nban, after previous sessions with the ministry's secretary-
\ngeneral Tonny Soekaton and top officials of the country's six TV
\nstations last Thursday and this Monday respectively.<\/p>\n
Hartono defended the ban yesterday, saying it complied with
\nthe Broadcasting Law.<\/p>\n
He said the law allows only the state-owned TVRI to broadcast
\nnews programs and obliges private stations to relay the programs.<\/p>\n
\"The Ministry of Information and TVRI will allow private
\nstations to broadcast a news program live if they have met
\ncertain requirements,\" Hartono said.<\/p>\n
He said the government did not intend to restrict the public's
\nright to know about state events such as a House hearing with
\ngovernment officials.<\/p>\n
Transparency<\/p>\n
\"Transparency is all that we are promoting, but of course
\nthere is certain information which does not necessarily go to the
\npublic. A House meeting with the government deals with politics,
\nso not all parts of the session can be relayed to people,\"
\nHartono said.<\/p>\n
However, he agreed to involve individual legislators in
\ndrawing up a government regulation on live broadcasts \"to make
\nsure that the new ruling will not cause different
\ninterpretations\".<\/p>\n
Some House legislators also demanded that Hartono start
\ndeliberation to amend the 1982 Press Law which they said gives
\nthe government the legal basis for a press ban.<\/p>\n
A ministerial decree issued by Hartono's predecessor Harmoko
\nin 1984 allows the government to revoke publication licenses for
\neither administrative offenses or contents which harm national
\ninterest.<\/p>\n
Golkar legislator Ansel da Lopez questioned the validity of
\nthe decree because the Press Law does not specifically stipulate
\nthe press ban.<\/p>\n
Hartono said the government was considering a review of the
\nlaw, the deliberation of which is pending research now being
\nconducted by the Press Council.<\/p>\n
\"Some contents of the law will be dropped because they no
\nlonger fit the current situation. We may revoke the press ban
\nruling, but we must establish new regulations to prevent
\nsubstantial offenses,\" Hartono said.<\/p>\n
He said the government wished to maintain a clause which bans
\nany contents linked with communism and another which stipulates
\n20 percent minimum possession by employees of a publishing
\ncompany. (amd)<\/p>",
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