No Olympics TV upsets RI athletes<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesian athletes taking part in the 2004 Olympic Games in
\nAthens said they were disappointed that local TV stations would
\nnot be broadcasting the Games, depriving viewers back home the
\nopportunity to watch their home athletes in action.<\/p>\n
All 10 TV stations here have decided not to broadcast the
\nOlympics, citing weak commercial value and expensive broadcast
\npackages. However, the Kuala Lumpur-based Asia Pacific
\nBroadcasting Union (ABU) said it had lowered the prices of the
\nbroadcast packages by hundreds of thousands dollars.<\/p>\n
Several non-governmental organizations have criticized station
\nowners for thinking only of profit and failing to address public
\nneeds.<\/p>\n
A number of the Olympic athletes also expressed their
\nfrustration with the stations, but were careful not to be too
\nharsh with their criticism.<\/p>\n
Alven Yulianto, one of Indonesia's best medal hopes in
\nbadminton, said he was disappointed that none of the local TV
\nstations would broadcast the event.<\/p>\n
\"Of course I feel disappointed, but as an athlete what can I
\ndo?\" Alven, a doubles specialist, said.<\/p>\n
He speculated that the generally poor performance of badminton
\nplayers at recent international events may have influenced the
\nstations to pass on the Olympics.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe the TV stations think that none of us (badminton
\nplayers) will make it to the final rounds because of our poor
\nplay at international events of late. Maybe that is why they
\nthink it is not necessary to buy the broadcast rights,\" Alven
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He added that being written off in this manner would provide
\nadded motivation to all of the athletes to prove that they were
\nworth watching.<\/p>\n
\"It gives us more motivation to bring a medal home so that the
\nTV stations will regret not buying the broadcast rights,\" Alven
\nsaid with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Taekwnodoin Juana Wangsa Putri is also upset about the lack of
\nOlympic TV coverage.<\/p>\n
\"I think people in Indonesia will want to know what is going
\non in Athens. It will be difficult without coverage from the
\nlocal TV stations,\" Juana said.<\/p>\n
Padmawati, one of seven Indonesian weightlifters competing in
\nAthens, is eager to forget about the controversy and concentrate
\non the competition.<\/p>\n
\"The most important thing for me is how to do my best and win
\na medal in Athens, that is my main focus right now,\" Padma said.<\/p>\n
The Olympic Games, to which Indonesia is sending 39 athletes,
\nwill run from Aug. 13 to Aug. 29. About 220 nations will take
\npart in the world's biggest sporting spectacle. And according to
\nthe ABU, Indonesia is the only nation sending athletes to the
\nGames that will not telecast the event.<\/p>",
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