Seminar to Maintain TVRI as Public TV

The Government is discussing Government Regulation on Public Broadcasting Institution Draft, which can put TVRI and RRI as public broadcasting institutions in danger because of several alternative planned policies.

The policies are disbanding TVRI and RRI and merging those institutions into Radio-Television of the Republic of Indonesia. Another policy is that the government will become advisor that thas an authority to select board of directors, supervising board, budgeting, etc.

The Draft apparently poses a threat for public broadcasting institutions that are needed by Indonesia in today’s commercial broadcasting era. The disbanding of TVRI and RRI is a stepback and will not solve the problem on quality but, instead, it will return public broadcasting institutions to its previous state as government’s voice.

Agus Sudibyo, Vice Director of SET Foundation in Jakarta criticized this plan. In his opinion, Law of Broadcast No. 32/2002, TVRI/RRI is a public broadcasting institution which is independent, neutral and gives service for social interest. “Therefore, it is a mistake if there is a plan to return TVRI-RRI as government’s body to counter criticisms,” he said, Monday (1/2), at Seminar Room, Graduate Building of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, UGM.

He said that public broadcasting everywhere has the function to run public virtues. In a seminar held by the Graduate Scool of the Faculty in  cooperation with LPP TVRI and SET Foundation, Agus Sudibyo explained further that the idea to make TVRI-RRI as government’s political instrument is common in authoritarian regimes. This idea showed lack of comprehension on the spirit of institutionalization of public broadcasting institutions.

Agus concluded that a review is still nedded if they stilll want to return TVRI and RRI  as government political instruments. The realistic alternative is to maintain TVRI and RRI as public broadcasting institutions which are able to transform as professional, clean, efficient, and productive institutions.
 
Drs. Hazairin Sitepu as Chairman of Supervising Board of LPP TVRI admitted that TVRI has not run optimally. Therefore, in its 4th anniversary, LPP TVRI hoped to find forms of public broadcasts for the future.
 
Speakers in that event were Drs. Subagio, M.S. from Ministry of Communication and Information, Tantowi Yahya (Member of Parliament), Drs. Djoko Susilo, M.A., and Drs. Ashadi Siregar (Director of Research, Education and Publishing Agency of Yogyakarta ).