TV stations cautious over fight against cigarette ads

TV stations cautious over fight against cigarette ads

By Antariksawan Jusuf

JAKARTA (JP): Television stations are reacting cautiously over
a possible class action lodged by a group of Indonesian
foundations, demanding stricter control over broadcasting of
cigarette advertisements.

"We will consider everything before making any decision.
Certainly, we will make every effort to find a way which is
beneficial to all parties," Indosiar Spokesman Gufroni Sakaril
told The Jakarta Post.

Two cigarette producers, Gudang Garam and Mustang, have
reportedly backed out from their commitment to sponsor seven live
imported boxing bouts because SCTV offered them a delayed-match
after 9:30 p.m. in order to follow government regulations, a
source said. World's class boxing matches, which rank among the
top programs in terms of viewer ratings, normally broadcast in
the morning due to the time difference between Indonesia and the
location of the event (mostly the United States).

Cigarette producers and their agencies select programs that
attract male audiences such as boxing, football, and action
movies to advertise their products.

The group of concerned organizations has published a demand
letter (somasi) in several newspapers which could lead to a class
action against to all commercial television stations, print
media, radio stations, advertising agencies and cigarette
producers for what they call "judicial violation of ...
government regulations".

The group consists of the Indonesian Consumers Foundation,
National Committee on Overcoming Cigarette Problems, Indonesian
Heart Foundation, Indonesian Cancer Foundation, Indonesian Women
Without Tobacco, Indonesian Asthmatic Children Foundation,
Indonesian Stroke Foundation, Indonesian Doctors Association,
Indonesian Students Senate Association, Indonesian Tuberculosis
Association, Indonesian Journalists Association and Indonesian
Teachers Association.

Among the obvious violations cited are advertisements which
show people smoking, advertisings which show a pack of cigarettes
and ads which trigger people to smoke.

The group gives a deadline until the end of March, or else
they will lodge a class action against any parties violating the
regulation.

The group said the class action will be filed because "the
governments' institutions or organizations in charge of
monitoring and watching advertising can not perform their duties
properly."

They are referring to Directorate General for Drug and Food
Control and the now-defunct information ministry. The latter,
disbanded by President Abdurrahman Wahid, used to watch issues
related to media and under which the Film Censorship Agency (LSF)
is run.

The outdated Indonesian Broadcast law No. 24/97 stipulates
that "advertisements of liquor and the likes, addictive
substances and ads which show the use of cigarettes" is
forbidden.

The Law also says all advertising materials should obtain a
pass from LSF.

The regulation on the ban on cigarette advertising was issued
by the government of former president B.J. Habibie in 1999. The
regulation says cigarette ads are allowed only in print and
outdoor media.

Shortly after the issuance of the regulation, Indonesian
commercial stations and the Indonesian Advertising Agency
Association (P3I) issued guidelines for advertising cigarettes on
television, which includes not showing cigarettes, cigarette
boxes or product logo. All ads should be broadcast after 9 pm.

According to the Indonesian Advertising Agency Association,
clove-flavored cigarettes are the second largest contributor to
TV advertising income. In 1999, it contributed Rp 164 billion for
television stations, or 4.8 percent of total advertising income
of TV stations (Rp 3.448 trillion). Ordinary cigarettes
contributed Rp 76.586 billion.

Indonesia is known as a smokers haven. Hong Kong-based
magazine Far Eastern Economic Review reported in its 22 March
2001 edition that despite the economic meltdown which cut the per
capita income to $650 in 2000 from $1,100 in 1997, Indonesians do
not stop smoking.

In 2000, Indonesians burnt 199 billion sticks and the number
is expected to grow by 5 percent a year in the future as it has
for most of the past 15 years.

That makes everybody worry.