Police object to TV crime shows

Police object to TV crime shows

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Annoyed with the content of the increasing number of crime shows that are aired on almost all of the 10 television channels, the National Police issued a circular on March 30 to the TV stations and police headquarters in all provinces to discourage television stations from joining police operations.

The circular stated that the police objected to the violence being highlighted in the shows and also the way their officers acted in an "arrogant" way.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo said on Monday that the police would never prohibit reporters from joining the police operations, despite the circular.

"We only ask the electronic media not to show brutality and obscene material n their programs. We have received many complaints from the public about the shows that focus more on police brutality.

"If reporters and cameramen (from TV stations) join our operation, they can also educate the public. Actually, we can take the advantage of the shows as the public will understand police work better. We don't just sit here doing nothing," he said.

Prasetyo added that the Press Law stated that the media also had a role in educating the people. Therefore, the police asked the media to heed the law.

"We can only appeal to them. The Press Council is the sole body that has the authority to rebuke the media for depicting violence and obscene material," he said.

Almost all 10 private TV stations run reality shows on crime and police operations. The shows carry a similar content, focusing on violence, the condition of the victims and arrested sex workers who appear half naked. The shows are aired at different times, including the time when children would still be awake.

A local TV drama star recently said in an infotainment program that she lost her appetite during lunch after she saw a program on TV that showed an aborted fetus.

Many people have expressed similar feelings in the print media, objecting to such shows.

Despite many complaints received by the police and published in letters to the editor in newspapers, crime shows still get high viewer ratings.

"In a seminar last year, producers of such crime shows said that the programs contributed significantly in covering the high operational cost of private televisions," Prasetyo said. "But please remember, programs should be educative. If they work just for profit, it is not right."