'Dangdut' music finds a spot on 'MTV'
'Dangdut' music finds a spot on 'MTV'
By Stevie Emilia
JAKARTA (JP): Ask a sampling of teenagers their favorite TV
programs, and you probably would not be surprised to find most of
the answers start with MTV.
MTV Most Wanted, MTV Land, MTV Seratus Persen Indonesia (100
percent Indonesia), MTV Getar Cinta (Love Vibration) and so on.
Do not assume all of them only air videos of international
artists like Alanis Morisette, Backstreet Boys, Boyzone, Fugees,
Madonna and Sheryl Crow only. Local singers and bands such as
Chrisye, Reza, Krisdayanti, Dewa 19, Gigi and Slank can also be
gracing the air and soundwaves on MTV.
Like it or not, MTV is now playing a bigger role in the
Indonesian music industry by providing heavy airtime for local
videos, thanks to cooperation with local private TV station
ANteve since May 1995.
MTV is broadcast about 39 hours per week on ANteve -- which
enable local viewers to see the programs without paying -- and 24
hours via satellite.
MTV Southeast Asia managing director Sudhanshu Sarronwala said
MTV ratings in Indonesia were among its highest in the world and
it was considered an important market through the relationship
with ANteve.
"Indonesia actually sets the benchmark for other MTVs. Why
can't we get rating like we get here in Indonesia? Our ratings in
Indonesia are so high for music-based programs. I think that's
very, very encouraging," he told The Jakarta Post.
"I think the response of Indonesian viewers is very good and
it's very much because we've been able to provide them with what
they really want it. It's been a two-way process."
Sarronwala is responsible for overseeing advertising sales,
network development, marketing and communications, as well as
local creative production and programming in MTV Southeast Asia's
market in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the
Philippines.
MTV Southeast Asia is one of the three 24-hour channels of MTV
Networks Asia, a joint venture of MTV Networks, a division of
entertainment giant Viacom Inc., and top record label Polygram
N.V. The others are MTV Mandarin and MTV India.
A recent survey discovered MTV was watched by about 16 million
households in Indonesia, reaching more than 50 percent of those
aged between 15 and 34, the station's targeted viewers.
Another survey by Asia Market Intelligence and Bates
Advertising last year found MTV was top of the 10 coolest brands
among respondents aged 13 to 23.
Sarronwala attributed the outstanding results to MTV's
persistence in keeping up with what consumers' want.
"MTV is about entertaining young adults through music, young
adults between 15 and 34 who are, for some, looking for
international music, or some Indonesian music... so it's really
about the consumers, not so much about the music. What the
consumers want to hear," said Sarronwala, 35, who took up his
present position in November last year.
MTV produces seven special programs for Indonesia: MTV Wow,
MTV Seratus Persen Indonesia, MTV Ampuh, Getar Cinta, MTV Land,
MTV Most Wanted-Indonesia and Lanosta. It also produced two
additional programs MTV Live and Louds and MTV Non-Stop Hits.
Most of the programs, from 70 percent to 80 percent, air videos
by local artists.
Some of the Indonesian musicians' videos are also broadcast
through MTV Asia to Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Papua New
Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and South
Korea.
Sarronwala referred to Indonesia as the most exciting music
market in all Asia because of its variety. "Indonesian musicians
are very talented."
What is the standard for local musicians to appear on MTV?
"The question is about what the audience likes. You see MTV is
a platform, MTV really does not have standing judgment. I think
MTV is about providing entertainment, providing music targeting
young adults and MTV will create the platform to reach those
young adults.
"Just sometimes the video is not accepted because there could
be religiously insensitive, obscene (material), that's our own
standard. But I don't believe MTV has a standing judgment."
Even traditional music, he added, could land a spot if it was
supported by an audience.
MTV is ready to take the next step. In February, it will
introduce its latest project, addressing the largest music gender
in Indonesia, dangdut. The new show will be called Salam Dangdut
and is considered a tribute to that gender of music in particular
and Indonesian music in general.
"MTV, being about music and being about young people, has to
take it (dangdut) into account and learn about it. We studied it
for some months and now we're being able to address it."
MTV is producing the new show itself.
"Like I said before, MTV is really about the consumers. What
the consumers want to hear. And yes, they would like to see how
MTV presents dangdut and that's exactly what we would like to
provide. It's really up to us how we represent it on the
channel," said Sarronwala, who was previously senior vice
president, marketing and communications for MTV Networks Asia.
Just like TV channels all over the world, MTV also expected
the new show will further boost its ratings here.
"Yes, definitely (we expect to) boost the rating. And I think
again, it's one step beyond boosting the rating, but also
presenting the largest musical gender in the country," Sarronwala
said.
According to the plan, the new show will not only be broadcast
here but also across Southeast Asia, such as in Malaysia and the
Philippines, and possibly, as far as India.
"It could be interesting to show it in India. There's a lot of
similarity (between dangdut and India's music) as the origins of
dangdut have a link to Hindu style music gender, and I'm quite
willing to experiment with that."
After much attention given to local music, not to mention
Indonesia's large following of MTV viewers, is an Indonesia-
dedicated channel, like MTV India, a possibility.
"Yes, that's a vision. At some point in time, I hope it's not
too far away, there will be MTV Indonesia... I can be quite sure
that Indonesia will be among the first countries in Southeast
Asia to have a dedicated channel."