Govt to privatize `TVRI' to improve management

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has given the government the greenlight to privatize TVRI in order to improve the state-owned television network's management, according to the State Minister of Administrative Reform.

T.B. Silalahi was quoted by the Antara news agency yesterday as saying that his office is helping TVRI speed up the process and has asked the Ministry of Information, which oversees TVRI, to conduct a feasibility study into the prospect.

The move will make the network more professionally run and less bureaucratic, he added.

Silalahi said he did not anticipate any negative impact from the privatization plan given that TVRI as a state network has a mission for the government. "On the contrary, TVRI can have greater freedom in carrying out its national mission."

TVRI, currently the oldest and largest television network in the country, is facing strong competition from the new established commercial networks which are more aggressive.

TVRI is financed entirely from a TV ownership license as well as government subsidies and royalties from all the private stations. By law, it cannot generate income through advertising. (emb)