Megawati says local TV station onlu offers dreams to audience
Megawati says local TV station onlu offers dreams to audience
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In her latest criticism of the media, President Megawati
Soekarnoputri said on Wednesday that local television programs
failed to provide the real picture of Indonesian people.
"Not just the news, but many television programs fail to
illustrate the real lives of the people," Indonesian Broadcasting
Commission (KPI) member Andrik Purwasito quoted the President as
saying.
KPI members met with the President for the first time on
Wednesday since the head of state endorsed their appointment.
Andrik said Megawati had complained about various soap operas,
broadcast by private TV stations, which she said only promoted an
upper-class lifestyle.
"The President also criticized TV programs that she feared
could promote crime by exploiting brutality and the harassment of
women," Andrik said.
Megawati urged the TV stations to air more educational
programs, especially during prime time.
"The President underlined that TV programs should meet
people's wants and refrain from picturing biased events, which
are not in line with reality," KPI chairman Victor Menayang said.
Megawati has repeatedly accused the media of misusing press
freedom to attack her government.
Victor said the KPI and the government were drafting three
government regulations and a code of conduct for electronic media
operating in the country.
The regulations concern the ownership, cross ownership and
licensing for electronic media.
The KPI is also drafting a guideline for television and radio
programs and will hold a series of public hearings with the media
community and audiences to discuss a benchmark for TV programs.
He said these regulations and guidelines would not be aimed at
restricting the electronic media, but "to put the electronic
media business in order".
"We will never interfere with newsroom activities. The
regulations will instead help develop the electronic media
business," Victor said.
KPI members were selected by the House of Representatives and
endorsed by Megawati in December last year. The commission has
the authority to monitor and maintain the quality of TV and radio
programs.
In the past, the job was conducted by the ministry of
information, which was dissolved in 2000.