House warns govt over broadcasting commission<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
House of Representatives legislators demanded on Friday that the
\ngovernment speed up the selection of candidates of the
\nBroadcasting Commission (KPI), saying the country had only two
\nmonths left to establish the new body.<\/p>\n
The Law No. 31\/2002 on broadcasting gives both the government
\nand the House until Dec. 28 to form the KPI, whose authorities
\ninclude formulating a code of conduct among broadcasting
\ncorporations, controlling its implementation and handing down
\npunishment to offenders.<\/p>\n
\"The government should submit names of the candidates as soon
\nas possible to the House for evaluation. There are only two
\nmonths left for the establishment of the commission,\" Djoko
\nSusilo, chairman of the House's subcommission for media affairs
\nsaid here on Friday.<\/p>\n
The House is now in recess, but will resume its sitting period
\non Monday.<\/p>\n
Djoko asked the government to take the selection process of
\nConstitutional Court members a few months ago, which forced the
\nHouse to spend extra time during its recess to evaluate the
\ncandidates in a bid to beat the deadline.<\/p>\n
The broadcasting law came into effect last year after years of
\neffort to revise a government-sponsored broadcasting bill which
\nwas passed by the House but was rejected by then President
\nSoeharto in 1997.<\/p>\n
Unlike the 1997 bill, the broadcasting law limits the role
\nplayed by the government.<\/p>\n
The law stipulates that for the first time, the independent
\nKPI will be jointly formed by the government and the House. The
\ncommission is to comprise nine members.<\/p>\n
Separately, media analyst Leo S. Batubara was not the least
\nbit pleased with the tardiness in establishing the much-needed
\nKPI.<\/p>\n
Leo emphasized that since the dissolution of the Information
\nMinistry in 1999, there had been \"lawlessness\" in the television
\nbroadcasting sector.<\/p>\n
Since the dissolution of the ministry, there was no
\ninstitution that regulated programs on radio or television.<\/p>\n
\"The establishment of KPI is important because it will
\nregulate the broadcasting programs and ensure fairness in the
\npolitical campaign via broadcasting stations,\" Leo said.<\/p>\n
The election law stipulates that the media must give equal
\ntime and\/or space to political parties intending to advertise
\ntheir programs in both the print and electronic media.<\/p>\n
\"It is the KPI that will draft regulations to ensure fairness
\nin the use of the media as an instrument for political
\ncampaigning,\" Leo added.<\/p>\n
The broadcasting law was endorsed following controversy in the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
The controversy prompted President Megawati Soekarnoputri not
\nto sign the law. However, under the amended Constitution a law
\nautomatically takes effect within 30 days after House's approval.<\/p>\n
Both Djoko and Leo said the State Secretariat was screening 27
\ncandidates selected by the government.<\/p>\n
The evaluations will be conducted by the House's Commission I
\nfor information, defense, and foreign affairs.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-warns-govt-over-broadcasting-commission-1447893297",
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