Private TV should have ethics code

Private TV should have ethics code

JAKARTA (JP): Noted communications expert Alwi Dahlan reminded
managers of private television stations on Saturday of the need
for a code of ethics, despite the fact that the government has
been slow in issuing TV broadcasting laws.

Dahlan said in Bogor that the managers owed it to their public
to select broadcasting materials without detrimental elements
such as excessive violence.

"This is a matter of ethics, a matter of social responsibility
which is not contingent with the broadcasting laws," he was
quoted by the Antara news agency as saying. "Even if the laws do
not yet exist, the television managers cannot ignore their social
responsibilities."

Alwi said that private station managers should establish an
association to discuss and establish rules.

"The managers of private television stations should make an
agreement among themselves to establish rules on the ethical
roles of television, and to define their own responsibility," he
said. "This option would be better than for them to have the
government issue restrictive rulings on the issue."

Dahlan also called on public organizations, such as the
Indonesian Consumer Organization, to launch a campaign against
television programs containing destructive elements.

Dahlan also applauded a recent study by the Ministry of
Information and the Foundation of Child and Maternal Welfare
which found that private station programming had a bad influence
on children.

"There have been too many people complaining about how TV has
a negative influence on children, without the support of any
studies," he said.

Dahlan said he believed the study was conducted in an
objective, responsible manner since the ministry's research
center is manned by people with television programming
experience.

"Ishadi is there," he said, referring to the former director
of state-owned television station TVRI. "He should be objective
about the study because he didn't have anything to gain by
attacking (private) television stations."

"Some people's credibility is at stake here, so for the
meantime we can trust the results of the study," he said.

Those who might disagree with the study have the option to
conduct other studies, he said.(swe)