Broadcasting bill may revive 'TVRI' monopoly
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Private television channels have continued to voice their opposition against the broadcasting bill, saying some new regulations in the bill could reinstate the monopoly exercised by state television TVRI in providing nationwide broadcasting.
Under the bill, only public television stations are allowed to carry out nationwide broadcasting. All private televisions, therefore, will have to build broadcasting offices, not just transmitters, in the regions to enable them to extend their coverage.
Satrio Arismunandar of Trans TV objected to the clause, saying it might encourage a monopoly.
"It is unrealistic to ban private stations from conducting nationwide broadcasting. We have been spending money to build transmitters," Satrio told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
News director of Indosiar television Nurhadi Purwosaputro concurred, saying the new regulations would force private televisions to spend more money to build offices in the regions.
Nurhadi, however, refused to comment further because the bill was not finalized. "Besides, we do not know the regulations issued by regional administrations on the matter," he added.
The Union of Indonesian Television Journalists (IJTI) had also expressed its objection to the clause.
Article 14 of the bill stipulates that private radio and television stations can only have one broadcasting activity on one channel in one area of coverage, giving them the status of a local channel.
Article 20 says that the radio and television broadcasts consist of a broadcast network and local stations. Unlike the public channels, both radio and television, which can broadcast their programs nationwide, the coverage of private broadcasts is limited.
The increasing protests from the public, including broadcasting unions, have prompted legislators and Minister of Communication and Information Syamsul Mu'arif to consider a delay in the endorsement of the broadcasting bill.
Previously, the bill was scheduled for endorsement on Sept. 23, but the special committee will most likely delay it.
"We will decide whether to delay the bill passage on Monday," said Djoko Susilo, a member of the committee deliberating the bill.
Fellow legislator Effendy Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB) disclosed that many legislators had floated objections to some articles in the broadcasting bill.
"I believe this bill is a very problematic legislation," Effendy said at a hearing with the minister.
Djoko suggested that the government refrain from interfering in the news production of radio and television stations.
The legislator was responding to the dominant role of the government in the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), a supervisory body to be set up later.
Based on the broadcasting bill, the KPI will be granted authority to determine broadcasting manuals, the standard of a program's quality, and to process all violations of the regulations.
Satrio suggested that the role of the KPI be limited to avoid more problems in the future.