Local Broadcasting Regulation to be Completed This Year
Monday, 12 February, 2007 | 16:37 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Indonesia Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has set a target of the regulation on the local broadcasting network system being completed in the third quarter of this year.

This regulation is necessary so that every national television provider has a broadcasting station in the regions that can broadcast its own programs.

Bimo Nugroho, a KPI member, said this regulation was also to guarantee that information centralization and monopolies do not happen again.

“Later, television broadcasting programs will not be centered in Jakarta anymore,” Bimo told Tempo last weekend.

Putting the network broadcasting system into effect is also aimed at stimulating regional economic growth and guaranteeing local people’s social and cultural rights.

This is because up to now centralization has caused the local and minority people’s social and cultural rights to be marginalized.

On the other hand however, Bimo said that the existence of a centralized broadcasting agency made self-development of local broadcasting agencies more difficult.

Therefore, KPI members for the 2007-2010 period and broadcasting industry players are discussing the format of implementing a local broadcasting network system.

The KPI and the broadcasting industry will also consider several role-models for implementing this system.

The models can include the broadcasting system developed by Indonesia’s state TV network TVRI, where every region has its own television station which is able to broadcast programs that are different from those of the central station.

In addition, what can be developed are daily newspapers in each province that have special edition containing news related to each province.

“Then every province can expose its unique characteristics,” said Bimo.

The amount of national television programs for local content is also being discussed by industry players.

However, what is certain is that local program content will depend on regional capability.

Nonetheless, implementing this broadcasting system cannot be immediately implemented after the law is put into effect.

Each national television program provider must carry out adjustments to its broadcasting operations.

“But we’re optimistic that the new system can be implemented,” said Bimo.

This is because, three national television stations—RCTI, SCTV and Metro TV—have already tried to implement this system.

Eko Nopiansyah