University lecturers dominate broadcasting body membership<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The House of Representatives subcommission for communications and
\ninformation unveiled on Friday the nine members of the Indonesian
\nBroadcasting Commission (KPI), paving the way for the setting up
\nof the long-awaited commission.<\/p>\n
Subcommission chairman Effendy Choirie said the nine, who were
\nselected through a vote, were independent individuals, who could
\nensure the people's demands for an independent broadcasting
\ncommission come true.<\/p>\n
"More than 60 percent of the nine members are the same persons
\nnominated by an independent monitoring team," said Effendy of the
\nNational Awakening Party.<\/p>\n
Six or two-thirds of the nine KPI members were university
\nlecturers. The remaining three were a freelance journalist, media
\nwatchdog activist, and branch head of state-owned TVRI
\nrespectively<\/p>\n
The names of the nine KPI members would be submitted to
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri for approval.<\/p>\n
None of candidates reportedly nominated by private television
\nstations and political parties were chosen as KPI members.<\/p>\n
According to Effendy, those candidates got low scores due to
\ntheir links to private television stations, which had earlier
\nopposed law No.32\/2002 on broadcasting and the establishment of
\nthe KPI.<\/p>\n
The law, which President Megawati has refused to sign up until
\nnow, limits the expansion and ownership of private television
\nstations. The law also urges national television stations to
\ncooperate with local stations in broadcasting and ownership.<\/p>\n
Virtually all private television stations, owned by a few
\nindividuals linked to former authoritarian president Soeharto,
\nopposed the law, arguing that the law intervened editorial policy
\nof the stations and so threatened press freedom.<\/p>\n
A member of an independent monitoring team, Hinca I.P.
\nPandjaitan, welcomed the selection of the nine candidates, saying
\nthat most were independent and had broad knowledge on
\nbroadcasting.<\/p>\n
"Six of the nine members are also our candidates who get high
\nscores. They are the best," Hinca of the Indonesia Media Law and
\nPolicy Center (IMLPC) told reporters after the House'
\nsubcommission plenary session.<\/p>\n
However, he questioned the selection of Dedi Iskandar Muda,
\nthe head of state-run television station TVRI Banjarmasin office,
\nsaying that Dedi had not performed well during the five-day
\nscreening process conducted by the House, which ended Thursday.<\/p>\n
Before the plenary session, IMLPC, which consists of activists
\nsuch as Hinca, film director Garin Nugroho, Jimmy Silalahi from
\nthe Indonesian Local Television Association (ATVLI) and Agus
\nPambagio from Visi Anak Bangsa foundation, submitted their nine
\nnominees, six of whom were chosen.<\/p>\n
Garin hoped that KPI could become a fair referee during the
\nnext year's general elections as many political parties would use
\ntelevision stations for their campaign.<\/p>\n
"KPI would play a vital role in next year's elections. So many
\ninterests, such as politics and business, play a role in
\ntelevision stations next year," he said.<\/p>\n
The nine candidates would be approved in the House plenary
\nsession on Dec. 19 before their names were submitted to President
\nMegawati. The President, according to the law, should inaugurate
\nKPI at the latest on Dec. 28, this year.<\/p>\n
The nine candidates for KPI
\n-------------------------------------------------------------<\/p>\n
Name Background
\n-------------------------------------------------------------1.
\n1. Victor Menayang Lecturer at UI
\n2. Sasa Djuarsa Sendjaja Lecturer at UI
\n3. Andrik Purwasito Lecturer at UNS, Surakarta
\n4. Ilya R Sunarwinadi Lecturer at UI
\n5. Ade Armando Lecturer at UI
\n6. Amelia Hezkasari Freelance writer
\n7. Sinansari Ecip Lecturer at UNHAS. Makassar
\n8 Bimo Nugroho ISAI\/NGO
\n9. Dedi Iskandar Muda state-run TVRI television station<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/university-lecturers-dominate-broadcasting-body-membership-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}