Private stations falling behind in paying fees to TVRI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Three private stations owe the state network
\nTVRI a total of Rp 11.3 billion ($5.4 million) in fee payments,
\nMinister of Information Harmoko disclosed yesterday.<\/p>\n
Harmoko told a hearing with the House of Representatives that
\nup to last month, RCTI still owed Rp 5 billion, TPI Rp 6 billion
\nand ANteve Rp300 million.<\/p>\n
SCTV, Indonesia's other private station, has paid all its
\nobligations to TVRI, he told the hearing with the House's
\nCommission I, the Antara news agency reported.<\/p>\n
TVRI is entitled to 12.5 percent of the advertising revenues
\nof every private station in Indonesia as royalty in return for
\nallowing them to broadcast. By regulation, the state television
\nstation has the exclusive right to television broadcasting.<\/p>\n
TVRI, which is overseen by Harmoko's ministry, cannot tap
\nadvertising revenue and its finances come chiefly from license
\nfees paid by TV owners, the royalty from private stations and
\nsome government subsidies.<\/p>\n
Harmoko yesterday resisted pressures to allow TVRI to tap
\nadvertising revenues stressing that BBC of Britain and NHK of
\nJapan also survive financially without resorting to advertising.<\/p>\n
Since 1991, TVRI has received Rp 64.7 billion ($31 million) in
\nroyalty payments from the private stations, he added.<\/p>\n
The minister yesterday also briefed the House's Commission I
\nabout the plan to merge TVRI with the state radio RRI and change
\ntheir status as government agencies into a full-fledge
\ncorporation.<\/p>\n
He said the government is now studying the plan and the status
\nshould be established this month or in January.<\/p>\n
He stressed that the purpose of changing the status is to
\nimprove the condition of the two agencies.<\/p>\n
The change of status will also open the way for the new
\ncompany to tap various financial alternatives, including
\ncommercial loans.<\/p>\n
But even with the change of status, TVRI will still be
\nfinanced largely from license fees collected from TV owners,
\nHarmoko said, adding that the government is not yet considering
\nallowing TVRI to run advertisements in its programs<\/p>\n
Harmoko also disclosed that his office has already drafted a
\nbill on broadcasting which is intended to strengthen the
\nbroadcasting industry in Indonesia, especially to counter the
\ngrowing presence of foreign networks through satellites.<\/p>\n
The bill will also allow private stations to produce and
\nbroadcast their own news but they will also still be required to
\nrelay news produced by TVRI, he said.<\/p>\n
The bill is now at the State Secretariat office for further
\ndeliberation before it is presented to the House of
\nRepresentatives. (emb)<\/p>",
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