'RCTI' suffers Rp 1 billion deficit due to schedule change

'RCTI' suffers Rp 1 billion deficit due to schedule change

KUALA LUMPUR (JP): Indonesia's privately owned RCTI station
suffered a Rp 1 billion (US$111,110) deficit due to a change in
the semifinals and final schedule of the Thomas and Uber Cup
Championships at the Putra Indoor Stadium.

The loss was caused as RCTI's clients pulled their advertising
-- which had been scheduled for the Uber Cup Wednesday afternoon
match between Indonesia and China and Thursday's Thomas Cup match
between Indonesia and Denmark.

"I feel really sorry for what happened because we have
formally contacted TransWorld International (TWI), which holds
the production rights for the International Management Group
(IMG)," said RCTI sports program director, Linda Wahyudi, at the
Pearl Hotel on Saturday. IMG is the official agent of the
International Badminton Federation (IBF) to host international
events.

"I just found out on Wednesday morning that the Uber Cup
semifinals match, which was scheduled for the afternoon, was
changed to the evening," she said. "The IBF referee, Dennis Li,
had no idea about the time schedule of the television
broadcasts."

"The match schedule was decided on a coin toss. There is a
regulation from the IBF that the time schedule must be decided
with a coin toss. Both RCTI and IMG didn't know that."

"Apparently, IMG doesn't have a greater role than before in
this tournament. Perhaps there is Goldbridge, which holds the
marketing rights. IMG has never been invited to the technical
meetings which has resulted in their unawareness of the matter,"
she complained.

Linda said RCTI had to suffer a Rp 1 billion deficit and had
trouble changing the commercial traffic at the last minute, which
usually took two days.

Due to the large deficit, RCTI will ask for a deduction in the
TV rights from TWI.

"We will ask for a deduction as we lost lots of money and we
still have to pay the satellite booking fee cancellation, which
is about 20 percent of the fee," she said.

However, Linda did not blame the IBF.

"I just regret it as it is the first time it has happened in
the badminton event, where IMG doesn't have a role. Usually it
has its officials from Jakarta who will help us to jointly work
with the IBF, organizers and host broadcaster."

Due to the change, many TV viewers called to RCTI's office
protesting the schedule revision.

"They asked why we changed the schedule as they expected to
watch the semifinals on the holiday. When it was broadcast on
Friday, many of them were still on their way home from work,"
Linda said, adding that RCTI ran running text announcing the
changes. (yan)