Local TV stations slaves to 'idolatry'<\/p>\n
Tony Ryanto, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It's not exactly the battle of the Titans but starting April 9,
\nIndosiar has had to compete fiercely with RCTI, the number two TV
\nnetwork, in searching for an "idol" for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
RCTI has the Demam Indonesian Idol (Indonesian Idol Fever) and
\nIndonesian Idol programs aired respectively at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
\nevery Friday. After the elimination rounds, Demam will be held
\ndaily from Monday to Friday and the Indonesian Idol shows will be
\nextended to 90 minutes.<\/p>\n
Only a few months ago, RCTI had to change the slot for its
\nmost popular soap, Kecil Kecil Jadi Manten (The Green Bride), as
\nit wished to counter the popularity of Indosiar's all-powerful
\nAFI, short for Akademi Fantasi Indosiar, which won top ratings
\nfor a couple of consecutive weeks.<\/p>\n
For about two years now, both networks have alternately
\noccupied the first and second positions in terms of audience
\nshare percentage.<\/p>\n
But what makes RCTI think it get the better of Indosiar's AFI?
\nBecause it is the first Asian network to hold the American Idol
\nfranchise.<\/p>\n
Just like its Idol sister, in Indonesian Idol, a panel of
\njudges selects 10 semi-finalists out of 21,000 superstar
\naspirants from throughout Indonesia, according to RCTI's
\nspokesman Nanang Gani.<\/p>\n
AFI is patterned after the popular La Academia, which is
\npresented by Azteca TV in Mexico. The Malaysian version, named
\nAkademi Fantasiana and transmitted by Astro, is similarly very
\nsuccessful and currently in its fourth season.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, American Idol is as popular as AFI in Indonesia
\nand Akademi Fantasiana in Malaysia. Gani said India, Malaysia and
\nSingapore were pondering plans to be Asia's next American Idol
\nfranchisees. The Philippines hasn't come up with a concrete
\ndecision yet.<\/p>\n
It is hoped that Indonesia will send one idol to the World
\nIdol competition to be held at the turn of the year.<\/p>\n
In 2003, a Norwegian plumber Kurt Nilsen was the surprise
\nwinner of World Idol 2003-2004, showing that it was indeed the
\ntalent and personality, not merely the looks and money, that is
\nlikely to make one an idol, at least by Western standards
\nnowadays.<\/p>\n
Nilsen beat contestants from 30 or so American Idol franchise
\nholders.<\/p>\n
William Hung, 21, a U.C. Berkeley engineering student with an
\nunusual, once-seen-never-to-be-forgotten face was not a favorite
\nof the American Idol judges but fans like him tremendously and
\nperhaps for this reason he signed a deal with Fuse Music Network
\nand Loch Records. Hung's case clearly indicates the immense
\nimpact American Idol can have on one's dreams of becoming a star.<\/p>\n
In the U.S., American Idol is still the number one TV
\nattraction. A Nielsen Media Research report says 25.48 million
\nviewers saw the program, which started as the TV phenomenon Pop
\nIdol in the UK, in the March 1 to March 7, 2004, period.<\/p>\n
Number two on the list is Survivor: All Stars (CBS, 23.3
\nmillion) followed by CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) (CBS, 22.74
\nmillion), The Apprentice (NBC, 20.22 million) and CSI: Miami
\n(CBS, 19.9 million) respectively.<\/p>\n
Local contestants<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, it was actually Trans TV that started the Idol
\nlook-alike program. It was called Popstars but was unfortunately
\nshort-lived.<\/p>\n
TPI's Bakal Beken (Would be Famous) has scored slightly better
\nbut is dwarfed by AFI, whose weekly contests every Saturday night
\nare bolstered almost every day by Diari AFI shows.<\/p>\n
AFI fever rages throughout the country, including rural areas.
\nViewers idolize AFI champ Veri Affandi, and second and third
\nrunners-up Petrus Kia Suban and Mawar Dhimas Febra Purwanti.<\/p>\n
At one stage, RCTI was also airing American Idol, but it did
\nlittle for the station's ratings, and had nothing to offer that
\ncould equal AFI.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Idol, though, has definite promise because, like
\nAFI, it involves Indonesian youngsters.<\/p>\n
In Singapore and many other countries, the principal
\nattraction of American Idol is Simon Cowell, one of its judges. A
\nmulti-hit record producer and head of A&R at BMG Records, the
\nwooden-faced Mel Gibson look-alike is best known (or most hated?)
\nfor his biting and sarcastic criticism that frequently brings
\ncontestants, mostly female, to tears.<\/p>\n
At the same time, nobody can dismiss the fact that Cowell has
\nhuge talent-scouting power. Other judges are Paula Abdul, music
\nsuperstar and choreographer, and Randy Jackson, a producer and
\nGrammy recipient.<\/p>\n
What is it that makes AFI so popular? Not the severe judges,
\nbut the ever-strong relationship, primarily based on emotion,
\nbetween the contestants and viewers.<\/p>\n
Now, is there a difference between AFI and Indonesian Idol?<\/p>\n
The answer is "yes". AFI, so some people say, puts top
\npriority on popularity. An AFI champion, therefore, must be
\nextremely popular, which means that contestants with huge talent
\nand good voices do not automatically become winners.<\/p>\n
Believe it or not, a number of female students at two private
\nuniversities said Kia was a better singer than Veri.<\/p>\n
If Indonesian Idol were to follow American Idol's criteria,
\nwhich it should, popularity is not the order of the day. This
\nmeans that an Idol champ must be a great vocalist.<\/p>\n
Once again, Hung's success is not because he is an American
\nIdol champion but because he is a popular contestant, so popular
\nthat the audience idolize him.<\/p>\n
Talent vs popularity<\/p>\n
A considerably large number of Indonesian families have
\nwelcomed the AFI and Indonesian Idol programs, which people say
\nare the quickest way of gaining fame. The motto is "from zero to
\nhero" in only a few weeks or a couple of months.<\/p>\n
A lecturer at the Pertiwi Tourism Academy, Nuraini Kusuma
\nWardani, says she wouldn't mind her children participating in an
\nIdol program. "That is to say, if the programs are well
\norganized, are in good hands and have constructive objectives.<\/p>\n
"If I were to choose between talent and popularity, I would
\nprefer the former because it is lasting, while the latter is
\nnot."<\/p>\n
Daisy Sutjipto, another lecturer at a private university in
\nJakarta, shared Nuraini's view.<\/p>\n
"I wouldn't like to see my kids taking part in either the AFI
\nor Indonesian Idol programs. But if they feel they are talented
\nand stand a chance of winning, I wouldn't prevent them," she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Osmena Suryoputro from the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI)
\nsaid that the programs could be educational if they were hosted
\nby professional musicians and people with musical backgrounds.<\/p>\n
"What is of great importance is that both programs are in good
\nhands, meaning that the contestants are guided by professionals
\nwho are themselves loving parents to their own children. This is
\nmy personal view," said Osmena, a secretary at the MUI's Food,
\nMedicine and Cosmetics Assessment Section.<\/p>\n
What Osmena, Daisy and Nuraini consider of great importance
\nare ways to ward off the adverse consequences of instant fame and
\nriches. Personality changes might lead to alienation and
\nostracism.<\/p>\n
The bottomline: In the past, parents wanted their children to
\nbe doctors, engineers, lawyers or economists. With the passing of
\ntime and the advance of technology, however, more and more
\nfathers and mothers do not mind their offspring becoming idols,
\nactors or vocalists.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/local-tv-stations-slaves-to-idolatry-1447893297",
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