No follow-up on TV complaints

No follow-up on TV complaints

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

For parents nowadays, watching TV can be as stressful as
struggling through the traffic during peak hours.

"I constantly worry when watching TV with my son," Asterbita,
a 29-year-old mother, said, complaining how acts of sex and
violence heavily color television shows at hours when children
were still awake.

The young mother is not alone. The Indonesian Broadcasting
Commission (KPI) has lodged 206 complaints to 11 television
stations, including state-television TVRI, regarding shows it
considered unethical.

Complaints about sex and sensuality on TV topped the list,
followed by acts of violence, and depictions of the supernatural
and mysticism.

Despite the existence of KPI as a broadcasting supervisor
responsible for program standards, the quality of television
shows has not improved.

"We have so far not imposed any sanctions against any
television stations that have been the target of complaints from
viewers because they question the legal basis of our authority to
do so," KPI chairman Victor Menayang said on Monday.

Victor added that the commission's failure so far to fully
implement its national standards for broadcast programs had
contributed to the fact that until now little had changed in
terms of the quality of aired television shows.

"The public may not have seen any significant difference on
our TV shows yet because current regulations hamper any follow-up
measures on their complaints from being taken," he said.

However, as soon as the commission was given enforceable
regulations, then it would follow up on complaints accordingly.
"Of course, we will have to consider whether or not the
complaints are actually valid," Victor added.

KPI standards ban television stations from airing footage that
depicts kissing, sexual intercourse and other sensual acts, acts
conveying sexual desire, explicit violence and complete
reconstructions of crimes.

However, it still permits television broadcasters to air
"programs for adults" after 10 p.m.

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, and to revoke the broadcasting licenses of
television stations.

Separately, Minister of Communications and Information Sofyan
A. Djalil said that the long-awaited regulations on broadcasting
would be issued in a few weeks.

"We are still seeking to reach an agreement with the Jakarta
Stock Exchange and Bapepam (Capital Market Supervisory Agency) on
regulations concerning share ownership of television stations,"
he said.

Sofyan added that his ministry would support any authority
given to the KPI, including its right to impose sanctions on
offending television stations.

"We encourage people to file their complaints through the
KPI," Victor said, adding that the public could have access to
copies of the broadcasting program standards at the KPI head
office or through its website.

Further complaints can be addressed to the KPI's head office
at the BAPETEN building, 6th floor, Jl. Gajah Mada 8, Central
Jakarta, or by email to info@kpi.go.id or pengaduan@kpi.go.id.
On-line complaint forms can also be obtained and submitted
through www.kpi.go.id.

Complainants may also call (021) 634 0713, or send a fax to
(021) 634 0667. (003)

The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission's authority:

1. setting of guidelines for broadcast program standards

2. overseeing the implementation of the standards

3. imposing sanctions on offenders

4. giving recommendations for the issuance of broadcasting
licenses to the government

5. giving recommendations on radio frequency allocations to the
government

Source : Law No. 32/2002 on Broadcasting