'SCTV' prepares lavish events for anniversary

'SCTV' prepares lavish events for anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): PT Surya Citra Televisi is celebrating its
seventh anniversary on Aug. 24 with a series of lavish events
even though it has not yet broken even.

Riza Permadi, the company's corporate secretary, said
yesterday that SCTV had targeted to break even after nine or 10
years of operation. He said SCTV's expenditure is between Rp 15
billion and Rp 17 billion a month.

Quoting Survey Research Indonesia figures, he said SCTV's
revenue was the biggest after RCTI. When it comes to the market-
share, it is third, after RCTI and Indosiar.

There are five private TV stations in the country: SCTV, RCTI,
TPI, ANteve and Indosiar. Aug. 24 is also the anniversary of
RCTI, which turns nine, and the state television company, TVRI,
which is 34 this year.

"Tight competition (with other private televisions) is the
biggest challenge we are facing now," Riza said.

In celebration of its seventh anniversary, SCTV is organizing
off-air events in addition to on-air programs. The off-air
festivities include a cookery contest, a TV-star look-alike
contest and an acapella singing contest. A season of blockbuster
movies, with a total running time of 230 hours, will be screened
from Aug. 4 to Aug. 22.

From Aug. 18 to Aug. 22, SCTV will broadcast Dunia Bintang
(Celebrities' World) live from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Viewers will have the chance to talk to the celebrities by
phone. SCTV guarantees there will not be a "traffic jam" on the
phone lines because the show will use a system that can
accommodate 730 incoming calls simultaneously.

"Only four callers will be on line, four others will be in the
queue, while the rest will reach answer machines," said Munir,
who is in charge of the show.

Planning manager Gatot Sugandi said, SCTV would show movies on
demand on Saturday nights, from Aug. 16 to Sept. 27.

In this semi-interactive program, viewers will have the chance
to pick their choice out of three movies offered by the TV
station, and have the chance to win a prize. (sim)