'68H' clarifies

'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