Crackdown planned on illegal laser discs distribution
Crackdown planned on illegal laser discs distribution
JAKARTA (JP): Head of the City Film Control Agency Semyon
Sinulingga said yesterday that all illegal laser discs and video
films currently in circulation in the city will be destroyed as
of next month.
"Any laser disc and video film which do not bear stickers from
the Film Censorship Institute, formerly called the Film
Censorship Board, will be confiscated and later destroyed,"
Semyon was quoted by Antara yesterday.
He said his agency will launch an operation against the
distribution of the illegal articles as of next month.
Based on Information Minister's Decree No. 7/1994, issued on
Oct. 28 last year, all discs and video films to be distributed
have to pass through the Film Censorship Institute.
There are three categories in the screening of films for
circulation in the country: "fully accepted", which means the
recording is passed without any censoring; "accepted but subject
to censorship" and "rejected".
Recordings that have been accepted will bear stickers from the
institute, while those that have not been checked by the
censorship board are considered illegal.
Laser discs were previously banned under Ministry of
Information Regulation No. 20/1983, which was issued following
reports of widespread distribution of smuggled laser discs. This
regulation was not fully enforced, thereby enabling the open sale
and distribution of these articles.
Semyon reminded retailers and rental companies of the
recordings that April will be the deadline for the checking of
laser disc and video films at the Film Censorship Institute.
He explained that the Ministry of Information has assigned the
Video Film Importer Association (Asirevi) to be in charge of
collecting data on the number of laser discs and video films in
public circulation before reporting them to the censorship
institute.
Asirevi has been appointed the sole importer of laser discs
and video films.
Data at the city's chapter of the Ministry of Information
shows that 366 film titles of laser discs and video cassettes
have been submitted to the institute for censorship.
According to the data, the number of laser discs and video
cassettes registered at rental centers in Central Jakarta totals
2,353 laser discs and 2,353 video cassettes, in South Jakarta
5,501 discs and 6,957 cassettes, and in West Jakarta 7,652 discs
and 8,389 cassettes.
In North Jakarta there are 7,100 laser discs and 7,595 video
cassettes and in East Jakarta 1,416 discs and 1,562 cassettes.
Semyon said that in line with the new decree, the censorship
on discs and video cassettes applied will be stricter than on
movie in picture theaters.
"The stricter censorship is applied because laser discs and
video films have far broader audiences than cinemas," he said.
The stricter censorship is expected to protect the public from
any negative impacts which may arise from films, or discs, which
are not in line with the guidelines and objectives of the
country's film industry.
The censorship is also expected to maintain the cultural
values of the nation, as well as to monitor the community's
appreciation of films being circulated. (hhr)