President cancels broadcasting plan

President cancels broadcasting plan

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid has decided to
cancel the establishment of a Directorate General of Broadcasting
under the Ministry of Transportation.

The decision was announced by Cabinet Secretary Marsilam
Simanjuntak after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Marsilam pointed out that the ministry must only regulate the
technicalities of broadcasting and not its content, thus such a
directorate general would be unnecessary.

"If the minister still wants to form it, then it should only
be on the level of a directorate which only takes care of the
technical aspects of broadcasting," Marsilam said.

The Ministry of Transportation formed the Directorate General
of Broadcasting to manage the radio and television broadcasts
following the disbandment of the Ministry of Information.

However, there has been strong concern from broadcasters who
fear that it may be a new form of controlling content. (09)