Vested interests mar broadcasting bill debate

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Experts slammed the government's rejection of the establishment of community-based broadcasting stations on Friday, arguing that the move contradicts the Constitution.

"We already have a legal basis in the Constitution, but vested political interests seem to have halted the process," Sasa Djuwarsa, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said in a discussion here on Friday.

Sasa was referring to the broadcasting bill currently being deliberated by the House of Representatives.

Originally, the bill named three kinds of broadcasting stations: State-run, privately run, and community-run broadcasting stations. In the deliberation process, however, the government rejected the inclusion of the community-based broadcasting stations.

Zainal Suryokusumo of the Indonesian Broadcasting Society (MPI) said that the rejection was not in line with the Constitution.

Article 28, letter F of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that anyone has the right to communicate and obtain information in order to develop personality and the social environment, and has the right to seek for, to have, to keep, to manage, and to convey information by using all kinds of available devices.

Private-run and state-run stations would not meet the needs of the people, Zainal said.

During the New Order era, state-run broadcasting stations were full of government propaganda, while private-run stations simply had a business orientation.

"Who will control the government if the state dominates broadcasting? Furthermore, the privately run broadcasting stations will not be capable of serving the public," Zainal added.

The Office of the State Minister for Communications and Information deputy for communications Widiadnyana said that the reason the government rejected community-based stations was it wished to avoid possible provocation.

"We fear provocation of ethnic and religion issues. These kind of broadcasting stations will be vulnerable to misuse," Widi said.

According to Widi, the government would welcome a community- based broadcasting station if it was managed by a community of students for education purposes.

Widi said the government and the legislators planned to complete deliberation on the bill in June.

Other crucial issues in the bill to be discussed include monopoly and cross-ownership, foreign investment, penalties, network broadcasting providers, cable television, licenses, and the establishment of the Indonesian broadcasting commission.