Observers label broadcasting bill burdensome

Observers label broadcasting bill burdensome

JAKARTA (JP): An expert on mass communication branded the
broadcasting bill currently being deliberated by the House of
Representatives as too great a burden on private television
stations.

M. Budyatna, dean of the University of Indonesia's School of
Social and Political Sciences, told a discussion at the Institute
for Studies on the Free Flow of Information that the bill sets
too many tasks for broadcasters, especially television stations.

Article 5 of the government-sponsored bill, for instance, says
television stations are responsible for educating, disseminating
religious teachings, as well as entertaining viewers.

"That's too much. Television stations shouldn't be burdened
with the tasks of preachers, teachers and entertainers," Budyatna
said. "Television stations are not so superior, that we can
inflict on them so many burdens."

Budyatna pointed out at Saturday's seminar that many other
countries treat television as merely a source of commercial
entertainment.

"If the government wants television to act as a facility for
public education, fine, because the existing educational
facilities, especially in remote areas, are still poor," he said.
"But this particular duty should be considered complete once our
educational system improves."

Budyatna said the many impositions and restrictions put
television stations at risk.

"A television station can be banned if it fails to meet
certain duties," he said.

Other speakers joined Budyatna in criticizing the bill. M.
Ihsan Lolemba, news editor at Trijaya radio, criticized the
government policy stipulating that private radio stations relay
state news programs as many as 13 times a day.

Legislator Marcel Beding listed contentious articles in the
bill, including one which requires television stations to dub all
foreign films into Indonesian.

"There are too many controversial articles in the bill. It
does not deserve to be discussed by the House at all," charged
Marcel. He also sits on House Commission I overseeing
information, security and political affairs.

"Despite 18 years of preparation on the part of the
government, this bill still contains illogical rulings," Marcel
said.

He said 22 of the 58 articles will have to be supplemented
with government directives in order to be implemented.

"If such a bill is passed, then it means that the House has
only stamped a government regulation, not formed a law," he said.

A special House team will be established on July 1 to study
the bill.

"I can't imagine how much time the team will need to discuss
the bill," Marcel said.

One of the bill's drafters, Bambang Wahyudi from the state-run
television station TVRI, missed the information institute's
discussion.

The institute was established shortly after three leading
publications, Tempo, Editor and Detik weeklies, were banned by
the government in 1994.

Noted journalists Goenawan Mohamad, Aristides Katoppo, and
political observer Mochtar Pabottingi are among the founders of
the institute. (01)