Trial over ex-SCTV producer starts

JAKARTA: The first hearing of a lawsuit filed by former producer of private television station SCTV, Dandhy Dwi Laksono, against the station started on Thursday at the South Jakarta District Court.

Presiding Judge IDG Putra Djadnya suggested that the matter be settled out of court. However, according to the plaintiff, earlier meetings with the defendants' lawyers had not been fruitful.

Dandhy has sued the channel for hindering his duties as a journalist and for his dismissal. The plaintiff demanded that the station publicly apologize via 16 national print and electronic media publications and pay Rp 4.3 billion (US$505,882) for material and immaterial losses.

The defendants are SCTV president director Lani Ratulangie Rahardja, chief editor Karni Ilyas and senior manager R. Nurjaman.

Dandhy became the station's morning news producer under a six- month contract from Nov. 25, 2002 to May 24, 2003. -- JP