Political talk shows: Rebel without a pause

By Antariksawan Jusuf

JAKARTA (JP): They may not have the mass appeal of news programs broadcast during the recent turmoil, but television political talk shows have apparently stolen many people's hearts.

The programs provide the audience with differing views on interesting topics through lively and entertaining debates.

Guest speakers include experts and intellectuals not only from the government's side but also critics, who clearly state their arguments and objections.

They speak bluntly without any hesitation, revealing facts and ideas.

And why not. There is strong demand for freedom of expression in the spirit of reform and there is no fear of speaking out, as once was the case.

Andreas Ambessa, head of Indosiar public relations, however, hopes that the speakers will apply self-censorship.

"We have a policy to give every guest the freedom to speak their mind, although we hope that they don't attack government institutions, groups or organizations, and avoid discussing SARA (tribal affiliations, religion, race and societal groups)," he said.

Some television political talk shows were known for their critical stance against the government long before the current era of reform.

Host of SCTV's Dibalik Berita (Behind the News), Riza Primadi, recalled that in January 1997, chief editor of Media Indonesia daily Surya Paloh called on the people to directly express their wish to oust former president Soeharto when he was a guest on the show.

"Why should people use such rhetoric. If they don't like Pak Harto, why don't they just say so," Paloh said.

Riza went into hiding for two days after the program was aired. "I was so scared at the time. It was the most frightening moment of my life," Riza, a former BBC reporter, said.

Riza is a fast learner. He was summoned by police following an earlier program which unveiled alleged dirty business in the police force.

Dibalik Berita is not the station's first critical talk show. In March 1994 it began to air Perspektif, a program which became both popular and notorious for the down-to-earth criticism expressed in dialog between the host Wimar Witoelar and his guests. The program was taken of the air in June 1995 after the government put pressure on the station.

The show now extends its charm to fans through Perspektif Live, a version of the show held in hotels, shopping malls, cafes and campuses. For followers in other parts of the country, the separately organized Perspektif Baru can be heard on several private radio stations. A text version also appears in at least four newspapers and Perpektif On-line can be browsed through by those with access to the Internet.

Wimar now hosts a similar but less serious program called Selayang Pandang, where he meets his guests in the setting of a cafe. However, fans of the presenter feel that the relaxed setting has blunted the edge of Wimar's famously provocative questions which often cornered his guests into giving controversial off-the-cuff responses.

Finger-pointing, considered taboo in traditional Javanese society, appears in many talk shows, including Aspirasi (TPI), which came on the air in January 1997.

The live show features a host and various guests, mostly top government officials such as governors, mayors and prominent public figures including former ministers. The host invites viewers to phone in and express their opinions about current issues. Callers are allowed to condemn bad practice and voice complaints on a whole range of formerly sensitive issues, including bad service from the government.

The show is very daring because in Indonesia the government is viewed as being the master to be served, not the public servant.

"My show is very open and free. We have always discussed everything live. We began having live discussions a long time before pressure for freedom of speech began to mount, but I never received calls from government officials," Haris Jauhari, who is responsible for Aspirasi, said.

Televised political talk shows are now considered to be a surefire and inexpensive way to uplift the image of a television station and boost ratings.

Each station in the country, including state-run TVRI, broadcasts at least one.

"It's just a form of entertainment which allows people to express their thoughts at the same time," Haris, a former Pikiran Rakyat reporter, said.

Haris and Riza agree that talk shows are targeted at an educated audience and do not cater to mass tastes. The programs, they say, only help to widen the horizon of people who are already critical of the status quo.

Guests aside, there has not been much change to the format and content of talk shows since the government relaxed its stance on the media.

Dibalik Berita, which insists on airing the show as it was recorded or not at all, last year had to drop two programs in which highly sensitive issues were discussed. One program discussed the former Portuguese colony of East Timor and the second held a debate on national succession in which a guest directly called on then president Soeharto to step down.

"Now we are free to invite critical voices such as Muchtar Pakpahan, Sri Bintang Pamungkas and Megawati (Soekarnoputri)," Riza said.