JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Following pressures from civil society groups, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has finally dropped light sanction to RCTI and Global TV, controlled by media mogul Harry Tanoesoedibjo, campaign manager and vice presidential candidate of Hanura Party, for airing partisan quiz shows.
The same sanction could also be dropped to other partisan television stations, Metro TV controlled by Nasdem Party Chairman Surya Paloh, TV One and ANTV affiliated to Golkar Party Chairman Aburizal Bakrie.
KPI Chairman Judhariksawan said KPI ordered RCTI and Global TV to stop airing “Kuis Kebangsaan” (Nationality Quiz) and “Indonesia Cerdas” (Indonesia Smart). Judha said the sanction is applied since Feb 21, 2014 and will be lifted once that 2 TV stations change the quiz shows.
Judha explained that the partisan quiz shows have violated article 11, article 11 paragraph 1 and paragraph 2, and article 71 paragraph 3 of the Broadcasting rules.
He said the partisan quiz shows aired by RCTI and Global TV were used to campaigning Hanura Party and its presidential pair of candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto and his running mate Harry Tanoesoedibjo.
As reported earlier, several civil society groups urged KPI to punish some partisan television stations for airing political advertisements and providing excessive coverage of political activities from their affiliated political parties and or presidential candidates. They asked KPI’s commitment to upholding the neutrality of television broadcasting in Indonesia. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)