'TVRI' takes the plunge into public television

By Antariksawan Jusuf

JAKARTA (JP): After years of heated debate, state-run television station TVRI finally declared as a nonprofit company, posing a larger challenge for its employees to meet insistent public demand for quality public television.

The new status was granted through Presidential Decree No. 36/2000, which was issued on June 7. Under the decree, TVRI is now a Perusahaan Jawatan, a nonprofit state firm under the authority of Ministry of Finance.

Since its founding in 1962 to broadcast the Asian Games held in Jakarta, TVRI has been run by a foundation under the now defunct ministry of information.

With its new status, the era of the old TVRI is gone. In the past, TVRI was notorious for its monotonous programming and was often criticized for being the ruling government's mouthpiece. This image cost it a great deal in terms of popularity.

But the new decree clearly bars all government institutions from burdening TVRI, outside its given role and function.

"Aside from directors and the board of commissioners of the state company, other parties are forbidden from interfering with the management of the state company," Article 53 of the decree says.

According to TVRI's director, Chairul Zen, the biggest challenge brought by this new status is changing the attitude of its employees from a bureaucratic to corporate culture.

"It will take time," Chairul said.

He added that in an effort to achieve a corporate culture, he has proposed training programs for employees in management, financing, marketing and programing.

"We will show the public that TVRI can be a reliable public television station," Chairul said.

Changing TVRI, it seems, will not be an easy task, since there are many problems which must be solved.

Communications expert Ashadi Siregar said TVRI was likely to be an object of intense competition between the remaining followers of the former New Order administration still active within the present government, and the market forces, which were ready to grab up the station's assets.

However, if it is run professionally, TVRI, with its 7,158 employees and 395 relay stations in 26 provinces, may become a powerful media. According to Chairul, TVRI reaches 81.5 percent of the country's total population, or more than 169 million people.

Ashadi, however, saw TVRI's new status as a setback. "It's new status is another form of forced decision by the government. Besides, it's financed by the government so the chance of being dictated to by the government is even bigger."

Ashadi is one of the patrons of the newly established non- governmental organization Community for Public Television Indonesia (KTVPI), whose members include high-profile names such as director Garin Nugroho, communications expert Yasraf Amir Piliang of the Bandung Institute of Technology, former SCTV production adviser and lecturer at the Jakarta Arts Institute RM Soenarto, Teater Utan Kayu curator Ahmad Sahal and a number of journalists.

In terms of financing, there will be little change for TVRI despite the change in its status.

TVRI's budget includes subscription fees from television set owners and money from the state budget. Annually, the government provides Rp 362 billion for TVRI, with the rest of the station's revenue coming from advertising.

Chairul said there was also the possibility TVRI could run other legal business entities, such as providing services as a production house and news agency. TVRI also has a reputable Yogyakarta-based multimedia training center.

Meanwhile, Garin Nugroho, when announcing the founding of KTVPI, said the independent group aims at developing TVRI into a credible public television station. TVRI can be shaped into a media to promote democratization, regional autonomy, appreciation of multicultural values and civic education.

One of the first items on KTVPI's agenda is to conduct research on the public perception of TVRI, Nugroho said.

The group is also planning to perform a comparative study in six countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea and South Africa, and to hold dialogues with members of the House of Representatives, as well as conducting seminars and workshops on various issues, including the source of funding for public television.

Chairul Zen welcomes KTVPI's move. "We hope ... KTVPI can be our partner, and that it can also provide us with suggestions and criticism to help create Indonesia's public television station."