Community stations call for new radio rule to be revised

Community stations call for new radio rule to be revised

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang

Community radio operators in West Sumatra have requested the
central government revise several articles in Government
Regulation No. 51/2005 on community broadcasters that was
implemented last month.

Clauses they consider need revising include those on licensing
procedures that require approval from the Minister of
Communications and Information, a 30-day period for license
extensions and a maximum broadcast radius set at 2.5 kilometers
from a station's transmitter.

They have also proposed that the rules on the use of
Indonesian as the main language of broadcast, the policy
requiring radio stations be wholly-owned by the local community,
and an ambiguous set of rules regulating radio advertising and
commercial broadcasts, be reviewed.

The demand for the revision was delivered in a meeting of
community radio operators in West Sumatra at the office of the
Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) in Padang on Sunday.

Hendri, a manager of the Kuranji FM, a radio station catering
to the Puah community on the outskirts of Padang city, said the
issuance of a radio license -- now in the hands of the minister,
which used to be granted by the Indonesian Broadcasting
Commission (KPI) -- was against Law No. 32/2002 on broadcasting.

"In the new regulation, the KPI is only administrative in
nature, or just a mailman; it is no longer the determining force
in the licensing procedure. This is clearly working against the
idea that it is an independent state agency, which supervises
broadcasting, and licensing procedures," Hendri said.

Nurhayati Kahar of the West Sumatra Community Radio Network
said the regulation on license extensions of 30 days and the
maximum broadcast radius of 2.5 km were unfair.

"In remote areas where people are dispersed over a wide area,
such as in Papua or in West Sumatra, the policy limiting the
radius of broadcast to only 2.5 km is clearly unworkable and will
only complicate licensing procedures.

"The 30-day license extension period is also too short for
community radio stations located far from the city," Nurhayati
said.

Nurhayati, who is the manager of the Pariaman Female Voice
station, also questioned the requirement to use the national
language as the main broadcast medium.

A distinctive feature of traditional community radio was the
use of the local vernacular as the main spoken language. The new
regulation would without doubt inhibit community radio from
attracting an audience, she said.

Community radio operators have also questioned the rules on
ownership that restrict outsiders from contributing funds to
radio stations, including contributions from residents who have
migrated outside the station's coverage area.

They are also confused about the rules on community service
advertising placements, which are still pending. Local radio
stations sometimes air cheap promotions for businesses in the
local community and public service advertisements from the
government and companies.

The West Sumatra Community Radio Network has a membership of
34 community radio stations, including stations for traditional
craftspeople, university campuses, schools and mosques, as well
as at least 30 other community radio stations affiliated to the
network.

"Community radio is a great help to assist the government
empower people in the villages and marginalized groups in
society. But studying the government regulation, we see it has
limitations and does not have space for improvements," Hendri
said.

He said the network would submit a review proposal for Law No.
51/2005 to the House of Representatives in the near future.

Responding to the network, Indonesian Broadcasting Association
West Sumatra head Ferry Zen said community radio operators had
two months to deliver a revision proposal.

"In the least, the proposals could be included in the
ministerial decree. Giving governors the power to issue licenses
delegated by the minister, for example, would possibly be in line
with the regional autonomy law," Ferry said.