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)