Local TV networks pool resources to cover Bogor

JAKARTA (JP): Six Indonesian television networks pooled their resources yesterday to provide the nation as well as the world comprehensive coverage of the historic meeting of APEC leaders in Bogor.

The media pool turned out to have been effectively pulled off by the six networks. Until this week the concept had never fully caught on with the Indonesian media community.

The APEC TV pool involved the state television TVRI, by far the oldest and most experienced in such major coverage, and five commercial stations: RCTI (Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia), SCTV (Surya Citra Televisi Indonesia), TPI (Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia), ANTeve (Andalas Nusa Televisi), and IVM (Indosiar Visual Mandiri).

The latter station has barely gotten off the ground. It is not airing yet but has necessary equipment invaluable to the TV pooling.

A total of 10 Outside Broadcast Vans were mobilized for the event yesterday.

Two vans were stationed in the Bogor Palace, one was placed just outside the Jagorawi toll gate in Bogor. TV crew broadcast the arrivals and departures of the APEC leaders through two vans located in the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport and the Soekarno-Hatta Airport. Four other mobile units were placed at the Jakarta Convention Center, the Jakarta Hilton International Hotel, Sahid Jaya Hotel, and in the Nusantara Aircraft Industry, Bandung.

Eight of the 10 vans belong to TVRI, while the owners of the other two are the property of RCTI and TPI.

The TV stations pooled prominent crew and equipment to do their best on covering the APEC conference.

Yesterday's reports were given in both Indonesian and English.

"It's good that we work together. Even though we are the ones with the most equipment, we still need more. We also need more qualified crew," Agus Cugito, a TVRI staff member in charge of news dispatching and editing, told The Jakarta Post.

He said that long before the APEC conferences took place, the host committee briefed the TV crew, providing them with necessary background information.

"They also told us about certain restrictions in the coverage," a TVRI journalist said.

However, he refused to explain about the restrictions.

Among the 35 reporters dispatched by TVRI to cover the APEC activities were Magdalena Daluas and Usi Karundeng, while RCTI sent six reporters, including Desi Anwar and Zsa Zsa Yusharyahya.

RCTI news production manager, Adolf Posumah, told the Post that the TV pool idea came from Ishadi SK, head of the APEC media center and former TVRI director.

"This is a new concept. We are glad to have this kind of cooperation, which is quite effective," Posumah said.

He admitted that compared to TVRI, RCTI was less experienced in live broadcasting such a big event. What's more, it would be very expensive for each TV station to cover the event separately.

TVRI has been on air since 1962, while RCTI, the first private television in the country, was established in 1989. SCTV started operation in 1990 while TPI came on air the following year. The youngest private television is ANteve, which reached the public in February this year for the first time. Indosiar is expected to go on the air soon.

"I hope we continue to have this kind of cooperation for the coverage of big events," Posuman said, adding that RCTI expects to have a greater role next time.

He said that there was not much time for the preparation because RCTI learned of the TV pool offer only a month before the APEC conference. The intensive preparation for the coverage started two weeks ago.

"I can't say that I am really satisfied. But for a first time effort, this is not bad...," he said. (sim)