Kiss of death may be on the lips for TV stations

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Now that a three-month grace period has expired, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) is set to crack down hard against radio or television stations violating government-dictated broadcasting guidelines.

The KPI issued the guidelines on Aug. 30 and gave the broadcasting stations three months to adjust.

KPI member Ade Armando expressed regret that despite the probation period, television stations had not demonstrated good will in following the guidelines.

"We've received hundreds of letters from the people who complaining about television stations for continuously running programs that exploit violence, obscenity and mysticism during the transition period," he told the House of Representatives' Commission I on security and information on Tuesday.

According to the broadcasting guidelines, television stations are only allowed to air programs containing violence, obscenity, or mysticism between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., so children will not see them as readily.

TV stations are also banned from showing sexual acts, including two people engaged in the act of kissing on the lips.

Most of the stations are still running programs that exploit violence, obscenity or mysticism during prime time, when most children are still awake.

Ade warned the television stations of the penalties that the KPI could impose on them for the violations.

Punishment for violations of the broadcasting guidelines range from official reprimands to revocation of broadcasting licenses, according to Law No. 32/2002 on broadcasting.

Deputy chairman of the House commission I Effendy Choirie said he hoped the broadcasting guidelines would help improve the quality of television programs.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) legislator Amris Fuad Hasan said that only 20 percent of the television programs were of good quality.

"The rest makes us look stupid," he added.

During the hearing, the KPI also demanded that the House put pressure on the government to issue a government regulation on broadcasting as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, another KPI member, Sasa Djuarsa, told the lawmakers the nine KPI members had received their salaries for the first time in 10 months.

"Thank God, we have received our salaries, therefore we could celebrate Idul Fitri," Sasa added.

Based on the presidential decree, the chairman and the deputy chairman of the KPI each receives Rp 14,375,000 (US$1,500) in monthly salary while each KPI member earns Rp 12,500,000.