TV executives criticize broadcasting bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Private television station executives said
\nyesterday that the broadcasting bill currently being deliberated
\nfails to anticipate long-term developments in the electronic
\nmedia as the bill originally set out to do.<\/p>\n
When sharing their ideas with the ruling Golkar faction at the
\nHouse of Representatives, the TV executives said the bill's
\ndrafters need to think of the long term possibilities of
\ntelevision.<\/p>\n
\"We welcome the future law but have to say that the bill does
\nnot anticipate future TV technologies,\" said Alex Kumara, the
\ndeputy director of RCTI.<\/p>\n
Contributing their ideas to the bill that will soon be
\nfinalized by the House were representatives from the five private
\nTV stations: RCTI, SCTV, ANteve, Indosiar and TPI.<\/p>\n
TPI production director Tito Sulistio said that the bill
\ncontains too many restrictions and that it could impede private
\ntelevision from growing into an industry.<\/p>\n
For instance, he said, the bill appoints the state-run station
\nTVRI to coordinate programs of cooperation between local
\ntelevision stations and foreign broadcasting institutions.<\/p>\n
\"TVRI won't be able to do this job after its status changes
\ninto a corporate,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tito also questioned an article in the bill which states that
\nevery private TV station has to sell its shares on the capital
\nmarket, with government consent, when it needs fresh money.<\/p>\n
\"Why does the government make it mandatory for private station
\nowners to go public?\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tito also questioned the bill's article 12 that bans private
\ntelevision stations from seeking foreign aid. He said the article
\nis still not clear.<\/p>\n
\"If we borrow money from Citibank in Jakarta, can it be said
\nthat we are getting foreign aid?\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anky Handoko from Indosiar said several of the articles in the
\nbill are vague. For example, the punitive actions that can be
\nimplemented for violations of the broadcasting law are not
\nspecified. Nor is the article on advertising clear, he said.<\/p>\n
\"It is like we are playing soccer but we do not know exactly
\nwhen the referee can give us the yellow or red cards.<\/p>\n
\"The electronic media involves a lot of money. We must know
\nexactly what we can or cannot do,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anky also questioned an article which permits state-owned TVRI
\nto air commercials.<\/p>\n
\"If the government plans to turn TVRI into a commercial media,
\nit would be fine to air ads. But if it is still supposed to carry
\nout the government's mission, the ruling is unnecessary,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
At present TVRI is not allowed to air commercials. In return,
\nit gets 12.5 percent of all ad revenues from the private TV
\nstations.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the United Development Party sought ideas from
\nexecutives of the Association of Indonesian Private Commercial
\nRadio Stations on the bill.<\/p>\n
The association proposed that the central state-run radio
\nstation, RRI, no longer monopolize the right to broadcast news.<\/p>\n
Currently, the government makes it mandatory for private radio
\nstations to relay RRI's news broadcasts.<\/p>\n
\"But many radio stations find ways to package the news which
\nturns out to be better (than news relayed from RRI),\" said the
\nassociation's chairman, Purnomo.(01\/pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tv-executives-criticize-broadcasting-bill-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}