Consumer agency proposes more news on TV

Consumer agency proposes more news on TV

JAKARTA (JP): Private TV stations should air more news and
talk shows, because television can be effective in disseminating
information and education, a consumer advocate says.

The executive director of the Indonesian Consumers
Organization, Tini Hadad, said on Thursday that news, talk shows
and education receive 25 percent of television airtime in
Indonesia.

The portion effectively declines to 20 percent after deducting
commercials, Tini said, adding that the bulk of TV airtime goes
to entertainment, she said.

There must be a greater balance in enhancing TV's role in
informing, educating and entertaining the public, she said. "TV's
role in education and information should be enhanced."

Tini was one of the speakers at a panel discussion on the
state of the television industry. The one-day seminar was jointly
organized by the Association of Communications Postgraduates of
the University of Indonesia, the Association of Indonesian
Communications Graduates and representatives of all local
television stations.

Tini said most Indonesian TV news programs simply rehash
stories from newspapers.

They often lack depth, she said, noting that even if they had
news sources speak in front of the camera, they were given too
little talk time.

Most TV stations tend to air what Tini describes as
"superficial news", reporting solely on the activities of
government officials and official ceremonies.

"As an audiovisual media, television has an advantage in
presenting pictures or interviewing news sources right on the
spot," she said.

Tini criticized TV talk shows for their lack of quality
speakers. In many cases, a speaker, usually a senior government
official, tended to dominate a show, she said.

She had no objection to the airing of the documentary program,
Potret, and the talk show, Buah Bibir. Both were criticized for
exposing sleaze and the darker side of life.

"Topics which were regarded as taboo are now discussed in the
open.

"The public, which once turned a blind eye to these issues,
suddenly realized that things have changed and that these are
familiar problems that should be addressed," she said.

Tini's sole criticism was that some talk show speakers were
often not qualified for the topics they discussed.

She also suggested that TV stations cut the time allotted to
commercials during news and talk show programs because they
disturbed viewers' concentration.

Meanwhile, noted advertising executive Yusca Ismail said
viewers ultimately determine what goes on television, and that
commercial stations simply cater to viewers' needs.

Many advertisers, in turn, tend to buy airtime on favorite
programs, Yusca, the chairman of the Association of Indonesian
Advertising Companies, told the seminar.

The bottom line, he said, is that "commercial television is
not competing for ad spending, but for a share of the audience".

Yusca said commercial TV stations absorbed Rp 2.2 trillion
($785 million), or 53 percent, of total gross advertisement
spending in 1996.

If net spending was half of that, then the five commercial
stations shared Rp 1.1 trillion in ad revenues last year, or Rp
222 billion each if divided up equally.

"The question then becomes: is this enough?" Yusca said,
pointing out that Indonesia's young commercial TV stations had
heavy investment and big loan commitments that had to be repaid
with interest.

Yusca said since commercial television began in Indonesia in
1989, more and more viewers were abandoning state-run television
TVRI.

Commercial stations select programs according to their
popularity, and advertisers follow suit, he said.

He recalled when Indosiar, the youngest of the five commercial
stations, went on air and had difficulties in attracting viewers
and advertisers. "But when it started airing popular martial arts
films, viewers started tuning in, and advertisement started to
flood in.

Yusca said TV surveys showed that education and information
were the least popular programs among viewers.

"Most people, especially children, watch TV for
entertainment," he said. (09/emb)