'Indosiar' asked to put idealism first<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government gave its blessing to the
\nlaunching of Indosiar, the country's fifth private televison
\nstation, with the proviso that, without sacrificing its
\ncommercial interests, it should put the public interest first.<\/p>\n
\"The government fully realizes that private television
\nstations need to make money through commercial shows but I ask
\nthem to put idealism first,\" Minister of Information Harmoko said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
During the inauguration ceremony of Indosiar the minister said
\nthat the existence of Indosiar did not pose a threat to TVRI, the
\nstate television network, since it would cooperate with TVRI, as
\ndid Indonesia's other private television stations.<\/p>\n
According to the minister, TVRI is the only station in
\nIndonesia with a basic right to broadcast.<\/p>\n
However, in 1989 the government had decided to give
\nconcessions to four private companies to establish private
\ntelevison stations, Harmoko said.<\/p>\n
The minister said the government's decision to issue those
\nlicenses was a response to the rapid inflow of foreign television
\nprograms receivable via satellite dishes.<\/p>\n
The first permit granted was to Rajawali Citra Televisi
\nIndonesia (RCTI), a Jakarta-based private television company
\nwhich is overseen by Bimantara Citra group. The second went to
\nSurya Citra Televisi (SCTV), a Surabaya-based network owned by
\ntycoon Sudwikatmono.<\/p>\n
Later the government gave a permit to Televisi Pendidikan
\nIndonesia (TPI), a Jakarta-based station controlled by PT. Cipta
\nTelevisi Pendidikan Indonesia, a company which belongs to
\nPresident Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.<\/p>\n
The fourth license was granted last year, to PT Cakrawala
\nAndalas Televisi, of the Bakrie Group, which manages ANteve.<\/p>\n
All four stations broadcast nationwide. The government has
\nruled that they must give 12.5 percent of their advertising
\nrevenues to TVRI.<\/p>\n
During the ceremony, which was attended by some executives of
\nthe other private television stations, Harmoko said that, now
\nthat a fifth private station had been allowed, the government
\nwould not be granting further licenses.<\/p>\n
\"Five is enough,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Executives of the other television companies, such as Azis
\nHusain, the president of TVRI, Andi Rali Siregar, the president
\nof RCTI, and Budi Darmawan, the Public Relations Manager of SCTV,
\nwelcomed the presence of Indosiar either as their new partner or
\ntheir new competitor.<\/p>\n
Andi acknowledged that the existence of another private
\nstation would make competition for advertising tougher, but he
\nsaid that private channels must not be preoccupied with \"the
\ndomestic competition\".<\/p>\n
\"It is foreign television networks which should be considered
\ncompetitors,\" Andi Said.<\/p>\n
Budi Darmawan of SCTV said the presence of Indosiar would
\nforce the other stations to work harder to create innovative
\nprograms and to look for more advertising.<\/p>\n
Azis Husain of TVRI said that Indosiar was expected to be a
\ncooperative partner of RCTI.<\/p>\n
Anky Handoko, President of Indosiar, told Minister Harmoko
\nthat the competition among Indonesia's TV stations was tough
\nenough, but that their cooperation was also strong.<\/p>\n
Indosiar will broadcast its programs from 4 p.m to 1 a.m.
\n(nine hours) on week days and from 6 a.m to 2 a.m. the following
\nmorning (20 hours) on Saturdays and Sundays. Most of the other
\nstations currently broadcast for more than 18 hours everyday.<\/p>\n
Indosiar will broadcast from its modern studio complex at Jl.
\nDamai 11, in the Daan Mogot area of West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Indosiar is owned by the Salim Group, Indonesia's largest
\nconglomerate, controlled by Sudono Salim, one the richest men in
\nthe world.(mas)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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