Unlicensed radio stations airwaves in E. Java<\/p>\n
ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
\"Suara Mitra listeners, tune in next to Newsline from Suara Mitra
\n91.7 FM,\" a disc jockey tells listeners from a broadcast studio
\nlocated at East Java Police Headquarters in Surabaya.<\/p>\n
At a glance, the radio station, which employs DJs and three
\nreporters, seems like any other radio station in East Java. It
\nbroadcasts news, songs and interactive programs from a small
\nstudio located on the second floor of the main building of the
\npolice headquarters.<\/p>\n
However, the East Java Provincial Broadcasting Commission
\n(KPID) considers the station, with a transmission capacity of
\nthree kilowatts, illegal because it does not have an operation
\npermit from the commission.<\/p>\n
A member of East Java's KPID, Luthfi Subagyo, said efforts to
\ncurb illegal radio stations were being hampered by government
\ninstitutions operating their own illegal stations.<\/p>\n
\"The East Java Police, for example, operate Suara Mitra and
\nthe East Java provincial administration has JT FM. This is just
\nso ironic. The people who should be cooperating with the KPID to
\nfight clandestine radio stations are in fact operating such radio
\nstation themselves,\" Luthfi told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
According to data from the East Java KPID, there are 11 radio
\nstations operating without permits in Surabaya, including Suara
\nMitra, JT FM and Radio Delta FM, which operates from a four-star
\nhotel in the heart of Surabaya.<\/p>\n
According to Law No. 2\/2002 on broadcasting, radio stations
\nmust be managed by the private sector and approved by the KPID.<\/p>\n
Government institutions are allowed to use the services of
\nstate-run radio stations or Radio Republik Indonesia to publicize
\ntheir programs.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the law, the provincial administration and the
\npolice do not need to own radio stations. Let the private sector
\nrun the radio business,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A member of East Java's National Radio Broadcasting
\nAssociation of Indonesia, Wolly Baktiono, said the problem of
\nillegal radio stations began when the Office of the State
\nMinister for Communications became involved in the matter.<\/p>\n
\"The communications ministry cannot issue permits without the
\nKPID. But the problem is, the ministry has repeatedly issued
\nrecommendation letters to radio stations,\" said Wolly, adding
\nthat it was based on these letters that the stations began airing
\nprograms.<\/p>\n
The head of information and communications at the East Java
\nprovincial administration, R. Sujianto, who is also director of
\nRadio JT FM, denied the station was illegal.<\/p>\n
\"We are not a covert radio station, but operate in accordance
\nwith decrees from the minister of communications and information.
\nThe guidelines set by the KPID are only recent,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The ministerial decrees must first be annulled first before
\nany changes are made to the regulations from the KPID, he said.<\/p>\n
Radio Delta FM program director Wibi Baskoro is of the same
\nview. He said he applied for a permit long before the station
\nbegan operating nine months ago, but the permit was still
\npending.<\/p>\n
\"However, we have obtained a broadcasting permit from the
\ncommunications ministry and the East Java governor,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The head of Suara Mitra, Rohanuddin, declined to comment on
\nthe issue.<\/p>\n
The situation is worse outside Surabaya, where clandestine
\nradio stations have mushroomed in small cities. Data from the
\nEast Java KPID shows there are 52 such radio stations in Malang,
\n37 in Jombang, 26 in Kediri, 24 in Jember, 19 in Madiun and eight
\nin Banyuwangi.<\/p>\n
\"A total of 378 illegal radio stations in East Java do not
\nhave permits. That figure may be higher because there are some
\nstations which have not been monitored by the KPID,\" said Luthfi.<\/p>\n
The figure is much higher than the number of authorized radio
\nstations in East Java, which number 106 (99 private radio
\nstations and seven state-run radio stations).<\/p>\n
\"There are 113 channels or frequencies that are still free to
\nbe used, and they are being used by the covert radio stations,\"
\nsaid Luthfi, the former chief editor of a local daily in
\nSurabaya.<\/p>\n
The operation of illegal radio stations can have a number of
\nadverse effects, including interfering with civil aviation. The
\nfrequencies used by illegal radio stations can interfere with the
\nradio frequencies used by commercial pilots, which can put
\nairplanes in danger.<\/p>\n
As the country marks National Radio Day on Feb. 11, experts
\nare urging the authorities to deal with the problem of illegal
\nradio stations.<\/p>",
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