This document is downloaded from DR-NTU, Nanyang Technological University Library, Singapore. Title AMIC Seminar on Television Development in the Asia- Pacific Region : Jakarta, Dec 8-9, 1994 : [summary of proceedings] Author(s) Citation Date 1994 URL http://hdl.handle.net/10220/3011 Rights
Summary Of Proceedings
SEMINAR ON TELEVISION DEVELOPMENT IN INDONESIA AND THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION 8-9 December, 1994 Hotel Wisata Jakarta SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS INTRODUCTION This report summarizes the proceedings of the Seminar on "Television Development in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific Region" held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 8 and 9 December 1995. The seminar was jointly organized by the Department of Information, Republic of Indonesia (DEPPEN) and the Asian Mass Communication Research and Information Centre (AMIC), Singapore, with the support of The Asia Foundation, Jakarta. The rationale for the seminar was the need voiced by the Department of Information to examine the implications and impact of the swift growth of television transmissions in Indonesia and in the region. The rapid progress of television broadcasting in Indonesia had been encouraged by the issue of licences to private companies since 1993. By December 1994, Indonesia had four privately funded tv networks, with the number expected to increase shortly to five. Transnational transmissions have changed the pattern of tv viewing in the Asia-Pacific. According to Dr. Jonathan Parapak of Indonesia, during the next five years the growth of television will be phenomenal: over one hundred television channels will be available to viewers in the region. OBJECTIVES The objectives of the seminar were to: 1. Examine the various factors affecting the growth of television in Indonesia and the region 2. Ascertain the impact of transnational telecasts 3. Obtain inputs from broadcasting and cultural experts on the steps to reinforce national information and communication activities. - contd. -
PROGRAMME The two-day programme was divided into six sessions. On the opening day, the inaugural session was followed by panel discussions on two important topics: Television in the Asia- Pacific The Changing Scene and Trends, Opportunities and Issues in Television Development. On the concluding day, discussions focused on The Changing Media Environment Implications for Broadcasting and The New Communication Technologies and Broadcasting. The concluding session was in the nature of a summary and evaluation of the programme. A total of 15 speakers, twelve of them from overseas, covered a wide range of topics (Details annexed - Appendix I). Every session provided ample time for discussion. The participants and observers made the fullest use of the opportunities provided. PARTICIPATION There were 145 participants, 95 from Indonesia and 20 from abroad, and about 30 observers. Indonesian participants included broadcasters and policy makers, academics, journalists and researchers. Overseas participants, notably from ASEAN, invited by AMIC with The Asia Foundation's support, were mainly senior broadcasters with first hand knowledge of television developments. (Detailed list of participants is annexed - Appendix II). INAUGURAL SESSION The inaugural ceremonies commenced with a report by the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Ir. Dewabrata, Head of the Information Research and Development Board, Republic of Indonesia. The Report was followed by a welcome address by Mr. Vijay Menon, Secretary-General, AMIC. Mr. Menon said, "As technology advances, borders evaporate and television, terrestrial and satellite, surges relentlessly forward, there is a need, a compelling need, to review and research the reginal impact of this phenomenon of our times." He endorsed the call for research, especially into the viewing habits of children, and offered AMIC's resources for conducting such a study. He thanked The Asia Foundation for the assistance which it had provided. - contd. -
The Guest-of-Honour, Information Minister Harmoko, welcoming the delegates and guests, said that the topic of the seminar was in keeping with the spirit of the Bogor declaration on regional economic cooperation, at the conclusion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. He urged the participants to focus on the institutional, ideal, managerial and professional aspects of broadcasting, as well as the need for public broadcasting. He hoped that the seminar would study to what extent the principle of 'prior consent' could constitute one of the legal frameworks to preserve and protect the people's socio-cultural values. SESSION I Television in the Asia-Pacific Region: The Changing Scene The session was chaired by Dr. Alwi Dahlan, Vice-chairman, BP-7 and President of the Indonesian Communicators Association (ISKI). Mr. Hugh Leonard, Secretaryr-General, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, presented a paper on the session theme. This was followed by two country papers: The Changing Television Scene Singapore Perspective by Mr. Lim Eng Hai, Chief Executive Officer, SIM Communication Pte Ltd Singapore and The Changing Television Scene Malaysian Perspective by Mr. Lai Singh, Director of Engineering (R&D), Radio Television Malaysia. The two other papers presented dealt with the socio-cultural aspects of the topic: Prof. Stewart Marshall, Head, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Monash University, Australia, spoke on Social and Cultural Impact of Satellite Broadcasting, while Dr. Marwah Daud, Member of the House of Representatives, Republic of Indonesia, discussed the Impact of Transnational Television Broadcasts on Indonesian People. SESSION II Trends, Opportunities and Issues in Television Development The second session was moderated by Dr. Sumita Tobing of TVRI and President-Director, Atlantis Total Communications, p.t. Mr. Peter Webb, Vice-chairman, Australian Broadcasting Authority, presented a paper on Legal and Regulatory Frameworks Affecting Television, while Mr. Kazuhiro Suda, Director, Satellite Broadcasting and HDTV Division, Broadcasting Bureau, Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Japan, spoke on Expectations and Interests of Industrial Countries Regarding Satellite Broadcasting in the Asia Pacific. - contd. -
Prof. Dr. Yuwono Sudarsono of' the University of Indonesia provided the national pespective in his paper entitled The Role of National Television Programmes in Reducing the Impact of Global Information. The fourth speaker, Dr. Godwin Chu, Senior Fellow, Program for Cultural Studies, East-West Center, Hawaii, who had been involved in a landmark study on the social impact of television on the people of Indonesia, spoke on The Impact of Transnational Broadcasting on People in the Asia-Pacific Region. SESSION III The Changing Media Environment: Implications for Broadcasting The Chairman for the first session on Day II was Drs. T. President-Director, State Printing Office. Atmadi, Three papers were presented during this session focusing on aspects of the privatization^of television. The first was by Dr. Mark Hukill, Dy. Director, Faculty of Mass Communications, National University of Singapore, on Privatization of Broadcast Media from the Singapore Perspective. He was followed ny Khalid Hj. Ahmad, Managing Director, Sistem Televisyen Malaysia (TV3), who spoke on Privatization of the Broadcast Media from the Malaysian Perspective. RCTI-Indonesia presented a paper on Prospects of Private Television and TV Advertising in Anticipating Transnational Television Broadcasts in Indonesia. SESSION IV The New Communication Technologies and Broadcasting Dr. Sasa Djuwarsa of the University of Indonesia moderated the fourth session during which three papers were presented. The first paper by Mr. Ross E. Petzing, Business Development Manager, International Broadcasting Corporation, Thailand, dealt with the session theme, Convergence of New Communication Technologies and Broadcasting. This was followed by a paper on Social and Cultural Impact of"satellite Broadcasting by Mr. Sankaran Ramanathan, Sr. Lecturer, Institut Teknologi Mara, Malaysia. The last paper, on Television Advertising: Trends and Directions, was presented by Mr. Lawrence Chia, Asst. Vice- President, TV Airtime, Television Corporation of Singapore. He also showed a video developed by the Television Corporation of Singapore when it was launched earlier in the year. - contd -
CONCLUDING SESSION The concluding session was chaired by Ir. Dewabrata, Head, IRIB, Department of Information. Mr. Vijay Menon presented an overview of the two-day seminar, the topics discussed, the trends noted and the suggestions put forward. He thanked the speakers and the participants who had contributed to the success of the seminar and paid a tribute to DEPPEN for the excellent administrative support provided by Mr. H. Dailami, Chairman of the Organizing Committee and his team. He also thanked The Asia Foundation for its invaluable support which had made it possible for AMIC to invite senior broadcasters from the region. On behalf of Mr. Tonny Soekaton, Secretary-General, Department of Information, Ir. Dewabrata read the concluding address. EVALUATION It was the unanimous view of participants and speakers alike that the seminar had been an extremely rewarding experience. The topic was relevant, both nationally and regionally. The papers regional presentations, in particular were appreciated for their comprehensive treatment of the topics and the insights they provided. The time allowed for guestions, a few felt, was inadequate but it was generally recognized that limitations of time did not permit extension of the sessions. The large number of local invitees ensured that a broad cross-section of media and academia benefited from the information generated at the seminar. The presence of the Minister and the seniormost echelon of officials testified to the importance attached by the Department of Information to the seminar. The secretarial facilities were good and the administrative arrangements successfully coped with the large number of participants and observers. However, while Hotel Wisata was adequate as a seminar venue, speakers were generally critical of the quality of the accommodation. The rooms were described as "dirty", "musty" and "noisy". These complaints were brought to the attention of both the hotel management and DEPPEN. This was the only blight on what was otherwise a good meeting. * * *