'If the fee's high, I'll hide my other TV sets'<\/p>\n
Mired in a debt to the government of more than Rp 200 billion
\n(US$21.5 million), state television channel TVRI is now on the
\nverge of bankruptcy. In a bid to become a public broadcaster in
\nlate 2005, the station is determined to reinstate monthly license
\nfees for TV owners in order to collect funds. The license fee
\nwould be collected along with payment of householders'
\nelectricity bills. The Jakarta Post asked some residents their
\nopinion on the idea.<\/p>\n
Linda Carolina, 30, is a human resources officer at a
\nmultinational company in Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta. She lives
\nwith her family in Rawamangun, East Jakarta:<\/p>\n
TVRI once charged a monthly fee and then stopped it. If the
\nstation wants to reinstate the fee, the question in people's
\nminds will be: Will it offer an improved service in return?<\/p>\n
It's easy to stop people paying a fee, but it's very difficult
\nto get them to start paying again -- even impossible. If TVRI is
\nprivatized and improved, maybe it could charge something.<\/p>\n
TVRI is very boring. Some of its programs, like translated
\nDiscovery Channel programs, are OK, but the presentation is
\ndreadful. Its marketing is also bad.<\/p>\n
More importantly, what has electricity got to do with TVRI? If
\nwe don't pay our electricity bill and our electricity gets cut
\noff, that's fair, but not if we fail to pay the station's fee.<\/p>\n
Hengky, 24, is an entrepreneur in the clothing industry in
\nJakarta. He lives in Ciputat, South Jakarta, with his family:<\/p>\n
I think the idea is very stupid. Who do they (TVRI) think they
\nare?<\/p>\n
TVRI should not depend on such fees but instead improve its
\nmarketing strategy to attract more advertisers.<\/p>\n
Theoretically, TVRI is the most attractive medium for
\nadvertisers as it has wider coverage than any other TV station.<\/p>\n
It should also improve its image to that of a more modern
\nstation as a way to attract commercials.<\/p>\n
I think I'll pay if the monthly fee is less than Rp 10,000
\n(US$1.06) per TV set. If it's more, I will hide my other two -- I
\nhave three in my house.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/if-the-fees-high-ill-hide-my-other-tv-sets-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }