TVRI Bandung requests Rp 10 billion in funds

Yuli Tri Suwarni The Jakarta Post/Bandung

Financial problems confronting television station TVRI Bandung has forced its management to put in a request for Rp 10 billion in funding from the West Java provincial budget to cover its operational costs this year.

Head of TVRI West Java-Banten, France Djasman, said he has not received any assistance for operational costs from the central office of TVRI.

On the other hand, the Rp 13 billion budgeted for operational costs last year was already spent. The money was spent to pay salaries of its 450 employees, while the rest was used to run its programs.

"We are finding it hard to compete with private television stations in getting advertising revenue because we only air programs for three hours, from 2 to 5 p.m.," he told members of Commission A of the West Java provincial council on Monday.

France said that as a limited liability company, its new status as of 2003, TVRI has to raise its own money instead of requesting assistance from the provincial administration. Previously, it enjoyed financial assistance from the government.

TVRI Bandung, which airs in West Java and Banten, can only raise Rp 150 million per month from advertising revenue. The amount is much less than the operational costs of around Rp 480 million per month.

Commission A secretary, Syaeful Huda, said that in its transitional period TVRI needs to be supported.

"Many people in West Java watch TVRI and 60 percent of the provincial administration's programs are covered by TVRI so it's natural if the administration helps in this matter," Syaeful said.

On the other hand he said there was no plan to allocate funds for TVRI while discussing the 2005 provincial budget.

"We'll talk about this request with the provincial administration, and if necessary, we'll possibly suggest that the administration takes the needed funds from that already allocated for humanitarian aid," Syaeful said.