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.