Harmoko clarifies policy on television dubbing
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Harmoko said yesterday that his recent appeal for television stations to dub all their foreign programs into the Indonesian language does not apply to programs broadcasted in English.
"We need to learn English," Harmoko told reporters in his office. The information minister was clarifying a statement he made on Tuesday which the press had interpreted as applying to all foreign programs without exception.
His appeal applies to imported television programs from India, China and Latin America, all of which are growing in popularity among Indonesian viewers. Most of these programs have already been dubbed into the Indonesian language.
The minister's appeal will become law if the House of Representatives approves a bill on broadcasting, which the government submitted last month.
According to the bill, which will be debated by the House next week, all television stations should air their programs either in English or Indonesian. Religious programs and language lessons are exempted from the rule.
Harmoko said the government highly encourages television stations to broadcast their English programs in two languages, the other one being Indonesian. He emphasized that current technology allows TV stations to air bilingual programs.
The bill on broadcasting will also allow private networks to produce their own news, ending a monopoly on news broadcasting held by the state-run TVRI. Private stations, however, are still expected to relay TVRI news, officials said.
Harmoko was speaking following his sponsorship of the establishment of a forum of all six television networks to coordinate coverage of major national events.
The move came after the six stations pooled their coverage of the death of First Lady Mrs. Tien Soeharto on Sunday and her funeral on Monday.
The forum involves TVRI, RCTI, TPI, SCTV, Anteve and Indosiar.
SCTV Public Relations Manager Yuli Ismartono told The Jakarta Post that the forum has not decided on the criteria for events that are considered "major" to merit pool coverage. (01)