House urges govt to issue ruling on live TV coverage
House urges govt to issue ruling on live TV coverage
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives urged yesterday
Minister of Information R. Hartono to issue a ruling on live TV
broadcasts.
Hisyam Usamah and Muchlis of the United Development Party
(PPP) and Y.B. Wiyanjono of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
told Hartono in a hearing with House Commission I for security,
defense and information that the newly enacted Broadcasting Law
does not clearly stipulate a live coverage ban imposed on private
TV stations.
"It is important to end uncertainty over what sorts of
programs private stations are not allowed to broadcast live,"
Hisyam said.
"Must private TV stations ask for the government's approval to
cover accidents live, which are certainly unexpected and
unpremeditated events?" he asked.
The three were responding to Hartono's explanation of a live
broadcasting ban on Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad's address
in a House plenary session on the government's economic reform
package on Nov. 10.
It was the third hearing in the House on the controversial
ban, after previous sessions with the ministry's secretary-
general Tonny Soekaton and top officials of the country's six TV
stations last Thursday and this Monday respectively.
Hartono defended the ban yesterday, saying it complied with
the Broadcasting Law.
He said the law allows only the state-owned TVRI to broadcast
news programs and obliges private stations to relay the programs.
"The Ministry of Information and TVRI will allow private
stations to broadcast a news program live if they have met
certain requirements," Hartono said.
He said the government did not intend to restrict the public's
right to know about state events such as a House hearing with
government officials.
Transparency
"Transparency is all that we are promoting, but of course
there is certain information which does not necessarily go to the
public. A House meeting with the government deals with politics,
so not all parts of the session can be relayed to people,"
Hartono said.
However, he agreed to involve individual legislators in
drawing up a government regulation on live broadcasts "to make
sure that the new ruling will not cause different
interpretations".
Some House legislators also demanded that Hartono start
deliberation to amend the 1982 Press Law which they said gives
the government the legal basis for a press ban.
A ministerial decree issued by Hartono's predecessor Harmoko
in 1984 allows the government to revoke publication licenses for
either administrative offenses or contents which harm national
interest.
Golkar legislator Ansel da Lopez questioned the validity of
the decree because the Press Law does not specifically stipulate
the press ban.
Hartono said the government was considering a review of the
law, the deliberation of which is pending research now being
conducted by the Press Council.
"Some contents of the law will be dropped because they no
longer fit the current situation. We may revoke the press ban
ruling, but we must establish new regulations to prevent
substantial offenses," Hartono said.
He said the government wished to maintain a clause which bans
any contents linked with communism and another which stipulates
20 percent minimum possession by employees of a publishing
company. (amd)