Reality TV fuels dreams<\/p>\n
Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A week before the country hosts a regional meeting on the
\nMillennium Development Goals to reduce poverty, a survey found
\nthat more Indonesians are watching reality TV shows with the hope
\nthat their lives can dramatically improve like those on the
\nshows.<\/p>\n
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) said the highest rated reality TV
\nshows were Uang Kaget and Bedah Rumah, in which guests on the
\nshows receive millions of rupiah and have their houses renovated
\nfor free.<\/p>\n
\"More young Indonesians want the change to appear on such
\nshows. In conclusion, many of them want to improve their lives
\ndramatically,\" NMR executive director Irawati Pratignyo said on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Many of those watching such shows and dreaming of a better
\nlife are among the 36.1 million people, or 16.4 percent of the
\npopulation, officially classified as poor.<\/p>\n
They are also like to be among the 10.3 million people who are
\nunemployed, or 9.9 percent of the workforce.<\/p>\n
These millions of poor and unemployed Indonesians might not
\nnotice that the country is preparing to host an Asia-Pacific
\nministerial meeting on the United Nations Millennium Development
\nGoals (MDGs) in Jakarta from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5.<\/p>\n
Participants at the meeting are expected to discuss strategies
\nto help the region meet the MDGs by 2015, particularly reducing
\npoverty and improving living standards.<\/p>\n
The NMR survey also found that reality show viewers may also
\nwant the chance to shine in life, as their next favorite reality
\nshows are star-search contests.<\/p>\n
Shows such as Indonesian Idol, Akademi Fantasi Indosiar and
\nAkademi Pelawak TPI give ordinary people the chance to change
\ntheir lives 180 degrees by becoming singing stars or comedians.<\/p>\n
Irawati said that in the first half of the year the number of
\nreality shows increased by 53 percent, while the number of
\nviewers went up 10 percent from the same period in 2004.<\/p>\n
In contrast, the January to June period of this year saw the
\n\"dying off\" of horror and mystery programs, with viewer numbers
\ndropping by 30 percent and the total number of episodes of such
\nshows down by 37 percent from the same period last year.<\/p>\n
Nielsen did not explain this new trend, simply saying that
\nhorror and mystery shows remained the most popular for TV
\naudiences.<\/p>\n
In terms of popularity, children's programs and entertainment
\nshows, including reality shows and celebrity gossip programs,
\nfollowed horror and mystery series.<\/p>\n
Reality shows apparently provide a glimmer of hope for
\nordinary people, but most of them will probably never get their
\nbig break to appear on these shows.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, it is the government's job to \"produce\" the
\nmassive reality show of achieving the MDG on poverty reduction.<\/p>\n
It will not do this by handing out money as on Uang Kaget, but
\nby allocating enough money from the state budget to promote
\nquality growth, extend opportunities for the poor, ensure good
\ngovernance and invest in social services such as education and
\nhealth.<\/p>",
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