KPI plans to introduce broadcasting standards
Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) is planning to issue content guidelines to serve as program standards for the country's television industry, a commission member says.
KPI member Amelia Hezkasari said on Wednesday that the commission would release the draft guidelines later this month.
"We will allow a public discussion period of three months for the draft guidelines, and we hope that they will go into effect this year," she told reporters after a discussion on television organized by the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI).
The guidelines, according to Amelia, would, among other things, allow viewers to file complaints about television programs with the commission.
Separately, a number of legislators raised their concerns during a meeting with State Minister for Communications and Information Syamsul Mu'arif over some television programs that they claimed could "damage the nation".
Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) suggested that the government appeal to television stations to stop airing violence, mysticism and racy material.
Nadier Muhammad of the United Development Party (PPP) concurred with Permadi, arguing that the government must protect the "morals of the nation".
Responding to their concerns, Syamsul said the government was not in a position to take action against the television stations.
He said that the government had set up a task force to address the question of program content and to draft guidelines.
The minister added that the KPI could warn television stations twice before the police brought criminal charges against them for airing racy or suggestive material.
Amelia, meanwhile, said that her office would be required to respond to viewer complaints and examine whether a television program had violated the guidelines.
"If it is found to have done so, the KPI will be required to reprimand the station in question," she said.
Law No. 32/2002 on the broadcasting industry allows the KPI as the country's broadcasting regulator to order television stations to pull shows that the commission considers inappropriate.
The harshest sanction that can be imposed by the KPI is to curtail the permitted broadcasting hours of a television station.
Currently, Amelia said, the KPI could only warn television stations not to air too many programs devoted to mysticism, gossip, crime or sex.
"We have warned them, and some of them have started to improve the content of these programs," she said.
Adolf Posumah, a spokesperson for Lativi television, and artist Ratna Sarumpaet agreed with Amelia and suggested that the KPI issue the guidelines soon.
"To some extent, television stations do make mistakes, so I support the drafting of guidelines," Adolf told the discussion.