Cable television beats terrestrial in new broadcasting draft law

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Unlike television broadcasting stations which face an imminent threat of restriction, the subscribed or cable television will be allowed to relay or rerun programs from foreign channels.

Legislator Djoko Susilo, who joins the committee for broadcasting bill deliberation, said on Tuesday that there would be different treatment for television broadcasting stations and cable television providers.

"Cable television is allowed to relay foreign programs because they don't use frequency," he said.

Djoko, head of the media unit of Commission I overseeing security, political and information affairs, said cable television providers would be required only to seek a permit to build their networks.

Under the broadcasting bill, broadcast providers must incorporate self censorship into all programs.

The providers must also provide at least one channel for domestic television.

The final draft of the broadcasting bill stipulates that television broadcasting stations are restricted from relaying foreign programs.

Djoko disclosed that the restriction was aimed at encouraging domestic television stations to use their frequency for local programs instead of relaying foreign ones.

He said that domestic television channels must turn themselves into kiosks for foreign stations.

"That is why cable television is not restricted from relaying foreign programming because it does not use frequency," he said.

The broadcasting bill is scheduled to be endorsed on Sept.23 amidst mounting protest from the public, including the Union of Indonesian Television Journalists (IJTI).

The union openly rejects articles in the broadcasting bill which restrict freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and the right to know.

In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post, the union said the authority of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) to determine program content would only hamper press freedom and creativity.

The journalists union feared the high power of the commission to regulate broadcasting and impose punishment would emulate the Information Ministry of the New Order which often acted as a censorship body.

The statement, signed in by IJTI secretary general Syaefurrahman Al-Banjary and chairman Ray Wijaya, also criticized a stipulation that restricts nationwide broadcasting to public television (or state-run TVRI), saying it would create a monopoly.

Under the broadcasting bill, all private television stations are required to open broadcasting offices in regional areas to enable them enlarge their coverage.

So far, private television stations have only built transmitters in regional areas. "The obligation to build broadcasting offices in the regions will promote local development," Djoko added.