'68H' clarifies

I am writing in response to your article entitled Govt, House agree to ban relays of foreign broadcast programs that appeared in the Sept. 3 edition of the on-line version of your newspaper and that mentioned Radio News Agency 68H. 68H does not work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), but rather with the Special Broadcasting Services (SBS) based in Melbourne.

More importantly I would like to clarify that 68H regularly provides program content to SBS, not the other way around. We also provide program content for Radio Hilversum-Netherlands, and for listeners in Malaysia and Timor Leste.

On the broader issue of the banning of foreign broadcasts, this is unnecessary and would be a retrograde step given the value and importance of access to such information for the people of Indonesia. We need to be outward looking and active in disseminating news about Indonesia abroad. The free flow of information should not be seen as a threat, but as an opportunity that allows us to compete with other foreign broadcasters.

Rather than fear this, let us embrace the opportunity that this competition presents.

SANTOSO

Director Radio News Agency 68H

Jakarta

Note: Thank you for your clarification.

--Editor