Trial over ex-SCTV producer starts

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