'TVRI' losing its viewers

'TVRI' losing its viewers

That the (state-run) television network TVRI has been losing
viewers since private stations began to operate is public
knowledge. However, not many people are aware that only a tiny
percent of the former TVRI viewers still watch its programs.

Studies conducted by the Indonesian Advertising Commission
(KPI) show that the number of people watching TVRI programs has
drastically fallen. In urban areas there are only six percent of
the previous number of viewers. In rural areas the number is
bigger, 47 percent, but even this may not last long. There is a
possibility that TVRI will still continue to lose viewers as it
is forced to compete closely with private television stations.

"It is fortunate that there are still the centrally broadcast
news programs which private stations are required to relay. But
namely because of this people may not even remember that TVRI
still exists," says Koes Pudjianto, chairman of the KPI
presidium.

What could be wrong with TVRI? Limited funds are obviously a
problem. The biggest burden which TVRI has to carry, however, is
its position as a conveyor of development messages. Admittedly
this position cannot be changed since TVRI is a government media
outlet. This, however, should not mean that those development
messages cannot be made more attractive.

On the other hand it would be better for the government not to
overburden TVRI with this mission on development. Give TVRI some
leeway to make up its own programs. Without it TVRI will not only
lose even more of its viewers, but it will also lose its
credibility as a trustworthy medium of information.

-- Republika, Jakarta