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)