TV stations to air Ramadhan specials
TV stations to air Ramadhan specials
By Rita A. Widiadana
JAKARTA (JP): The fasting month brings religion into all aspects of Moslems' lives. During Ramadhan, all Moslems should become more aware of their religious duties and make every effort to stay within the religious boundaries.
Television stations are aware of this and cater to the needs of their Moslem viewers. The state and private television stations compete to present the best Ramadhan programs. Each station tries to create innovative programs to draw larger Moslem audiences.
The private television stations bring in celebrities, public figures and top businesspeople in an attempt to make their programs more interesting. On offer are talk shows, religious forums, quizzes, television dramas and music performances.
Zoraya Perucha, Corporate Communications Manager of privately- owned AN-Teve, said the station has been carefully selecting programs for the Ramadhan fasting month.
"We have Mutiara Ramadhan (The Ramadhan Paragon) hosted by famous cartoonist G.M. Sudarta," she said.
Sudarta, from the Kompas daily newspaper, will interview former minister of home affairs Rudini, rock singer Mel Shandi, entertainer Dolce Gamalama, former minister of justice Ismail Saleh, Minister of Health Sujudi and banker I Nyoman Moena. He will summarize the discussions into caricatures.
Bursa Musik Ramadhan is another AN-Teve program which features various Moslem musicians. Bursa Musik will temporarily replace MTV Asia.
Sahur, Sahur has been produced to accompany viewers during the sahur dawn breakfast. The program features various discussions involving Moslems in all walks of life. It also includes a direct question-and-answer session and a quiz for the audience.
Two Islamic films, The Holy Kaaba and The Mihrab, will highlight AN-teve's Ramadhan package. The Holy Kaaba tells the history of the Ka'ba in Mecca. The film also tells about Adam and Eve and all the Moslem prophets. The Mihrab is a story of a wise grandfather who tries to teach his beloved grandson about life. The film is enlivened by beautiful poetry reading and song.
Private TV station RCTI will stop screening a number of sex- orientated shows like Baywatch and Acapulco Heat during the holy month.
Between Jan. 21 and Feb. 19, RCTI will broadcast 30 episodes of a television drama entitled Tawakal. It ill be shown at 5 p.m.
Mimbar Ramadhan (Ramadhan Forum), a Koran recital and direct question-and-answer forum, will be screened just before the fast breaking time.
RCTI will also air live coverage of the tarawih prayer from the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia at midnight. The program will be followed at 3:00 a.m. by an imported series entitled Muhammad Rasul Allah (The Prophet Muhammad). The Ramadhan program will be closed by a Koran recital before the dawn prayer.
Surprisingly, Indosiar, which aired a very limited number of Ramadhan programs in l995, will open the Ramadhan fasting month with various informative programs this year.
Indosiar has chosen members of the Bimbo music group to host Irama Ramadhan, a 30-minute program of music and interviews. The program, to be broadcast between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. everyday during Ramadhan, will feature many prominent ulemas and celebrities. Among the guests are singers Nia Daniati and Kris Dayanti, as well as ulemas KH Abdurrahman Arroisi, H. Zakky Mubarak and Nibras OR Salim.
Irama Rhoma Irama will be hosted by top dangdut musician Rhoma Irama. Rhoma will present his religious songs and host a talk show. He will interview celebrities, lawyers, government officials, athletes, journalists and teachers. Indosiar will broadcast his program between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Indosiar will also air Bulan Seribu Bulan (The Month of the Thousand Months), a 30-episode television drama exploring religious themes from the Hadists and the Koran.
Educational TV station TPI is offering a number of religious forums such as Mozaik Ramadhan. It will involve ulemas, artists, businesspeople and other public figures. The program, hosted by Mira Handayani, will be screened every day at 3:30 a.m., starting on Jan. 21.
TPI will also screen Bingkisan Ramadhan, a mix between a talk show, quiz and Islamic forum. The 30-minute program, hosted by young artists Vini Alvionita and Wess Ibnu Say, will appear every day before the breaking of the fast. The hosts will interview top artists Titik Puspa, Nanny Wijaya, Neno Warisman, Marissa Haque and Ebiet G.Ade, rock singer Harry Moekti, film producer Rahayu Effendi, writer Motinggo Busye, businessman and artist Setiawan Jodi, House of Representatives member Aisyah Amini and model Ratih Sanggarwati.
Viewers are also able to take part in the discussions and quizzes, either by phone or by sending postcards to the station.
The station will continue its Documentary on Islam and the Kuliah Subuh morning sermon. In addition to these local programs, TPI will also run films on the history of Islam, including Al Bukhari and Rabiah HZ.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m., TPI will visit Islamic boarding schools throughout the country on Gema Pesantren .
Unlike the private television stations, which offer attractive Ramadhan programs, the state-owned TVRI station will present government-made programs on things like how to distribute zakat (obligatory donation).
In the first week of Ramadhan, TVRI plans to run Selamat Datang Ramadhan (Welcome Ramadhan) and Hikmah Ramadhan (The Blessing of Ramadhan), which will be aired every day just before the breaking of the fast. Another program, Celah-Celah, features various religious activities occurring during the fasting month.
SCTV has created many local programs to welcome the fasting month. Hikayat Pengembara, a story of the wanderer, is a television drama supported by top artists like Deddy Mizwar, Dewi Yull, Dwi Yan and Anwar Fuadi. The 30-episode drama, which is rich with religious messages, will be screened from Jan. 22, between 5.30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Tiada Tuhan Selain Allah and Di Ambang Fajar, both locally- produced dramas made specially for the fasting month, will also be aired on SCTV.