Experts skeptic about curbing violence on TV
JAKARTA (JP): A communications expert expressed skepticism yesterday that curbing sex and violence in films and on television would improve people's behavior.
"Curbing sex and violence on films and television will not change people's behavior," M. Budyatna, dean of the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Indonesia, said.
"What we should be doing is strengthening our faith and giving our children more guidance at home," he told The Jakarta Post.
He said it was important for parents to accompany their children when they watch TV, especially when they're watching PG (Parental Guidance) programs.
There has long been a debate on sex and violence in films and television; some people consider it a factor leading to moral decay.
Earlier this week, state-run TVRI and the five private televisions decided to set up a forum among themselves to prevent unhealthy competition and to reduce the number of programs loaded with sex and violence which they said are contrary to local culture and religious values.
A number of popular television series, such as Baywatch and Melrose Place, are reportedly going to be pulled soon. Baywatch is said to be against local culture because the actresses, wearing bikinis, expose too much flesh, while Melrose Place is said to promote premarital sex and cohabitation.
The practice of cohabitation has been going on here since time began, even among villagers who have never seen Western movies, Budyatna said.
"Some programs are said to be against local culture. But what is local culture? This is not clear," he said.
He said that the plan to scrap certain programs like Baywatch and Melrose Place was "ridiculous".
"People tend to look for a quick fix, which does not solve the problem at all."
"This is like burying one's head ostrich-like in the sand," he said.
He lamented the authoritarian attitudes that prevail not only in government, but also among parents, who like to tell their children they can't do things, without giving reasons or alternatives.
There is no point in curbing sex and violence in films and on TV without giving proper education and religious guidance, he said.
"We have parabola antennas, the Internet, Laser Discs and CD- ROMS. People will still be able to see things that are banned on local television," he said.
According to Budyatna, watching programs loaded with sex or violence will not necessarily make the viewer evil.
"I often watch Western movies, but I've never wanted to become a Cowboy or a bandit," he said with a laugh.
"This depends on what you have in your own mind. You will turn bad if you already have the seeds of evil in your head," he said, darkly.
Like Budyatna, a young actress, Peggy Melati Sukma, does not believe films influence viewers that much.
"As mentally healthy people, we won't want to be influenced by films. Only unhealthy people are easily swayed by what they see in films," she said.
She disagrees with banning films just because they're about people who live together without being married.
"Films like Melrose Place, Model Inc, Beverly Hills 90210, Baywatch etc. are also educational. They contain many good things worth pondering by us Indonesians, like how to be independent, democratic, etc," Peggy told The Jakarta Post.
Peggy said the government had yet to clearly define the extent to which sex and violence scenes can be said to be against Indonesian culture. (sim/jsk)