'Indosiar' asked to put idealism first

'Indosiar' asked to put idealism first

JAKARTA (JP): The government gave its blessing to the launching of Indosiar, the country's fifth private televison station, with the proviso that, without sacrificing its commercial interests, it should put the public interest first.

"The government fully realizes that private television stations need to make money through commercial shows but I ask them to put idealism first," Minister of Information Harmoko said yesterday.

During the inauguration ceremony of Indosiar the minister said that the existence of Indosiar did not pose a threat to TVRI, the state television network, since it would cooperate with TVRI, as did Indonesia's other private television stations.

According to the minister, TVRI is the only station in Indonesia with a basic right to broadcast.

However, in 1989 the government had decided to give concessions to four private companies to establish private televison stations, Harmoko said.

The minister said the government's decision to issue those licenses was a response to the rapid inflow of foreign television programs receivable via satellite dishes.

The first permit granted was to Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia (RCTI), a Jakarta-based private television company which is overseen by Bimantara Citra group. The second went to Surya Citra Televisi (SCTV), a Surabaya-based network owned by tycoon Sudwikatmono.

Later the government gave a permit to Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI), a Jakarta-based station controlled by PT. Cipta Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia, a company which belongs to President Soeharto's eldest daughter, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.

The fourth license was granted last year, to PT Cakrawala Andalas Televisi, of the Bakrie Group, which manages ANteve.

All four stations broadcast nationwide. The government has ruled that they must give 12.5 percent of their advertising revenues to TVRI.

During the ceremony, which was attended by some executives of the other private television stations, Harmoko said that, now that a fifth private station had been allowed, the government would not be granting further licenses.

"Five is enough," he said.

Executives of the other television companies, such as Azis Husain, the president of TVRI, Andi Rali Siregar, the president of RCTI, and Budi Darmawan, the Public Relations Manager of SCTV, welcomed the presence of Indosiar either as their new partner or their new competitor.

Andi acknowledged that the existence of another private station would make competition for advertising tougher, but he said that private channels must not be preoccupied with "the domestic competition".

"It is foreign television networks which should be considered competitors," Andi Said.

Budi Darmawan of SCTV said the presence of Indosiar would force the other stations to work harder to create innovative programs and to look for more advertising.

Azis Husain of TVRI said that Indosiar was expected to be a cooperative partner of RCTI.

Anky Handoko, President of Indosiar, told Minister Harmoko that the competition among Indonesia's TV stations was tough enough, but that their cooperation was also strong.

Indosiar will broadcast its programs from 4 p.m to 1 a.m. (nine hours) on week days and from 6 a.m to 2 a.m. the following morning (20 hours) on Saturdays and Sundays. Most of the other stations currently broadcast for more than 18 hours everyday.

Indosiar will broadcast from its modern studio complex at Jl. Damai 11, in the Daan Mogot area of West Jakarta.

Indosiar is owned by the Salim Group, Indonesia's largest conglomerate, controlled by Sudono Salim, one the richest men in the world.(mas)