Ratings system helps viewers decide on what to watch<\/p>\n
By Gotot Prakosa<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A TV viewer recently wrote a letter to a
\nnewspaper complaining about the films screened by a private
\ntelevision station during the school holidays.<\/p>\n
He said the films were too violent, even for adults, let alone
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile during a discussion forum on TV, a young mother
\ncomplained about a film expert who said if people were not
\nsatisfied with the TV programs, just switch off the TV. It seems
\nthat the burden has been put on parents, while TV stations
\nbroadcast noneducational programs at will.<\/p>\n
Entertainment from programs broadcasted by private TV stations
\ncan refresh us and make us forget about real life for awhile. TV
\nbroadcasts can also set an audience's viewing habits, said Rusdi
\nMochtar, a communications researcher at the Indonesian Science
\nInstitution. He gave an example of the telenovela or sinetron
\n(soap opera) trend which is capable of making someone reluctant
\nto leave the TV set during certain hours. And if closely
\nobserved, not only can TV broadcasts form the viewing habits of
\nspectators, but in some cases they can change the morals of a
\nspectator. \"Or on the other hand, this social change results in
\nthe change of morals, so it affects the TV broadcast and it is
\nadjusted to widespread development,\" Rusdi added.<\/p>\n
In 1995, when a TV station broadcasted the serial film Wonder
\nWoman, some people criticized the exposure of the character's
\nbody and the broadcast was subsequently banned. But now, the
\nprograms Xena, Warrior Princess or VIP, which features sex siren
\nPamela Anderson Lee, is relatively acceptable for spectators.
\nKissing scenes, formerly prohibited by the Film Censorship
\nInstitute (LSF), can now be seen on several broadcasts. Likewise,
\nsome films on fighting, bloodshed and consecutive shots are no
\nlonger considered taboo to be shown on TV.<\/p>\n
The recent change has been noticed by many people as being
\nconnected to the change of power from the New Order to the
\ncurrent one. Social changes in the community also affects the way
\nthey communicate with the mass media, including on TV. The
\ncurrent situation is still considered in a transition period
\nwhere law and social control are poorly upheld. This transitional
\nsituation is not only utilized by TV businesspeople to provide
\nnew and \"bolder\" broadcasts, but on the other hand, the community
\nwants something different from those of the New Order era.<\/p>\n
This situation will give rise to an interaction between TV
\nstations and spectators, until one day there is a point of
\nsimilar perception on shows.<\/p>\n
\"Let the public assess the shows broadcast by the TV stations,
\nwhether they comply with morals or not, and don't make something
\ntaboo because it has been considered that way for 30 years,\" said
\nRusdi.<\/p>\n
With quickly changing conditions, the LSF as an institution
\nserving as a filter for entertainment, especially for TV
\nbroadcasts with mixed audiences, is questioned in respect to its
\nexistence.<\/p>\n
Taufiq Arifin, RCTI's corporate secretary, said despite the
\nexistence of LSF, the more dominant element was the censoring
\nsection at each TV station.<\/p>\n
In fact, the public has censored films through unorganized
\nefforts. Input from readers' letters sent to TV stations or as
\nopen letters sent and published by major newspapers have to be
\ntaken into account. Such input must be heeded if TV stations do
\nnot want to lose their audiences.<\/p>\n
For the chairwoman of LSF, Tatiek Malyati WS, community
\nchanges should also be considered for evaluation of films or
\ncommercials broadcasted by TV stations. She convinces us, though,
\nthat the LSF is operating under the Ministry of National
\nEducation when it carries out its tasks and it is independent in
\nmaking its evaluation.<\/p>\n
As an example, she said the programs VIP and Baywatch had
\nsuccessfully passed the institution because the characters'
\ncostumes in the films, though consisting of minimal clothing,
\nwere relevant to the story.<\/p>\n
Garin Nugroho, a noted film director and chairman of the
\nIndonesian Public Television Community, suggested that television
\nstations train society to stay in front of the TV screen longer
\nto watch educational programs.<\/p>\n
\"For example, they can prepare an educational program for
\nseveral minutes initially, let's say five minutes. The total
\nscreening time is then increased so it eventually becomes one
\nhour. Only with such an exercise can audiences have the patience
\nto watch the entire educational program,\" said Garin.<\/p>\n
If TV stations prepare audiences for educational programs,
\nthere will be more of a demand on parents to play a greater role
\nin having children sit through the programs.<\/p>\n
According to Garin, parents need to ask their children to
\nlearn to patiently and seriously watch educative programs, so the
\nchildren develop a congenial habit.<\/p>\n
Parents' involvement by accompanying their children when
\nwatching educative programs can also produce explanations if the
\nprograms they are watching are incomprehensible. In addition,
\nparents have a duty to help choose the programs for their
\nchildren to watch. But parents having no time to give guidance to
\ntheir children is a specific problem in this society.<\/p>\n
As a concrete step, starting from July, RCTI will feature
\nicons in the form of drawings and letter codes on the TV screen's
\nupper left corner before a program. If the letter code is SU,
\nshort for Semua Umur (All Ages), it means it can be watched by
\nspectators of all ages. A program labeled BO means Bimbingan
\nOrang tua (Parental Guidance), and children need their parents'
\ndiscretion to watch it. A 17+ symbol means that the broadcast is
\nonly for people over 17 years of age.<\/p>\n
Although the application is not easy, said Anita Wulandari
\nNaryadi, an RCTI public relations officer, the icons will not
\nonly apply to films, but also to sinetron, quizzes, dialogs, etc.<\/p>\n
Some examples of programs belonging to the BO category, said
\nAnita, are Gerhana, Panji, and Jinny Oh Jinny. A number of
\nquizzes are given an SU rating, and almost all sinetron are
\nlabeled 17+.<\/p>\n
According to Anita, RCTI's awareness to be the pioneer of
\nestablishing a category code for shows came about because of
\nits care for social control. With program rivalries, people are
\nsaid to be more captious and aware of the shows they are
\nwatching. \"And hopefully this pioneering action can be rewarding
\nand become a prototype,\" Anita said.<\/p>\n
Although there might still be bugs to work out, this action
\ncan help remind the audiences of the programs to be screened by
\nthe stations. We do not know whether this action will be followed
\nby other TV stations, as ratings of programs also needs
\nevaluation after some time, or if it will have a good impact on
\naudiences to continue it or not.<\/p>\n
It is not easy work to serve as well as to control mixed
\naudiences.<\/p>",
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