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."