Government to privatize TVRI

Government to privatize TVRI

JAKARTA: The government is planning to cut staff numbers at state-owned television station TVRI by up to 70 percent and then sell it as part of its privatization program.

House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I for defense, foreign and political affairs member I Joko Susilo, of the Reform faction, said here Friday that the government would first cut TVRI staff numbers before selling it.

"If the government really sells TVRI, then the station has to lay off more than half of its employees slowly," Joko was quoted by Antara as saying.

Currently, TVRI has around 7,000 employees. The government, according to Joko, wants to cut numbers to between 2,000 and 2,500 staff.

"The rest would be laid off, and that is our biggest worry," he said. --Antara