Foreign radio stations remain favored alternative

Foreign radio stations remain favored alternative

By I. Christianto

JAKARTA (JP): Amid the new era of journalistic freedom in
Indonesia, overseas radio stations are competing to cooperate
with local stations to relay their programs.

Some overseas radio stations now have their programs aired by
local stations. BBC, for example, collaborates with Jakarta-based
Elshinta, which relays the British station's news broadcasts
three times daily. Two other stations in the capital, Radio
Pelita Kasih and Delta FM, cooperate with Voice Of America (VOA)
and Radio Australia (RA), respectively.

There are at least 10 overseas shortwave radio services
offering programs in Indonesian, including BBC, VOA, RA,
Deutsche Welle of Germany, NHK of Japan, Voice of Asia of
Taiwan, Radio Korea International and the newly launched Radio
Singapore International.

The cooperation of foreign stations with local broadcasters
is made possible by new regulations issued by the government last
year. The new rules allow private stations not only to produce
and manage their own news, but also to work with foreign radio
stations.

Print media also enjoys more freedom after enduring years of
Soeharto's authoritarian rule. The media can now print
controversial reports without fear of being closed down by the
government. The process of receiving a publishing license also
has been simplified, which explains why there are now many new
tabloids, newspapers and magazines on the market.

During Soeharto's regime, publishers were often forced to give
the authorities shares in their publication. A number of
publications lost their publishing licenses because the
government disapproved of the editorial content of their
publications. It was no secret that editors sometimes received a
phone call from the Ministry of Information or the Armed Forces
asking them not to publish particular reports.

It was during this period that overseas radio stations became
the best alternative for those looking for local news which could
not be published by local media.

Overseas radio stations, once regarded as propaganda tools for
foreign nations, claim to attempt to continually produce programs
in a balanced and objective manner.

Although in many ways restraints on media in Indonesia have
now vanished, foreign radio stations remain popular for a number
of Indonesians.

"It is still better than the present local media. More up-to-
date, open and courageous," Amrin Nazir, 67, said.

For years, he has been listening to BBC, and sometimes
Hilversum (RN) and VOA.

"I understand there is a local radio station which now relays
BBC news broadcasts, but I prefer to listen to my shortwave
radio. It is more 'artistic,'" the retired executive of Bank
Indonesia said.

Syamsurizal, a 26-year-old executive at state-owned Merpati
Nusantara Airlines, believes news reports from foreign radio
stations are more balanced.

"I think they cover both sides thoroughly. The news,
sometimes, is more to the point," he said.

Syamsurizal added that he has listened regularly to BBC over
the last eight months. "Listening to the radio is more
enjoyable."

RA's network manager, Jean-Gabriel Manguy, is aware the media
in Indonesia now enjoys more freedom, but he said this does not
affect overseas radio stations.

"The feedback we get at RA suggests that radio audiences are
increasingly hungry for information about Indonesia, Australia
and the region.

"RA's strategy of bringing its Indonesian programs to more
Indonesian listeners is not affected by how assertive the local
media may have become. Our approach is to find out what local
radio stations are interested in broadcasting and offer them
particular programs," he said.

He added that this approach was very successful and RA now had
partnerships with stations in Aceh, Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta,
Kediri, Surabaya and Manado.

"RA regards the growing competition within the Indonesian
media as a tremendous opportunity. Our experience is that local
radio stations are looking for more material to increase the
diversity and depth of their programs. RA offers programs which
are relevant, well-informed, in touch with the issues that matter
to audiences," he said.

RA Indonesian service executive producer and commentator Nuim
Khaiyath added that RA's service was supported by loyal
listeners.

RA was launched in Indonesia in the early 1950's. The service
almost shut down several years ago for a number of reasons,
particularly funding difficulties.

Head of BBC Indonesia Menuk Soewondo said that in addition to
news relayed by Elshinta in Jakarta, some programs produced by
BBC Indonesia also were rebroadcast by 90 other stations in
Indonesia.

BBC, which aired its first program in Indonesia in October
1949, also benefits from reform in Indonesia.

"It is easier for us to interview our sources in Indonesia,"
she said.

Soewondo said a survey showed that around four million people
in Indonesia listen to BBC Indonesia regularly. This number does
not include others who regularly listen to the Indonesian
programs in other countries, she added.

"The audience usually increases when there is a special event
in Indonesia, like what happened in May last year (when Soeharto
stepped down)," she said.

Since shortwave radio stations can reach people around the
world, the Indonesian programs aired by radio stations here can
be heard by people in countries across the world.

BBC said there were people in the Middle East listening to its
Indonesian programs.

According to Khaiyath, it is very difficult to ascertain
shortwave audience figures. RA shortwave services are now
available only in the eastern part of Indonesia and it is
difficult to assess the size of its audience.

A report showed RA had an estimated weekly audience of some
2.8 million people in Indonesia.