'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."