Television in Indonesia

Television in Indonesia began on August 24, 1962 in Jakarta with the state-run station, TVRI, which began broadcasting on the seventeenth anniversary of Indonesian Independence. It held a television monopoly in Indonesia until 1989, when the first commercial station, RCTI (Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia) began as a local station and was subsequently granted a national license a year later.

Each of the network has a wide variety of programs, ranging from traditional show, such as wayang performance, to programs like Indonesian Idol that are based on Western models. One typical television show of almost every network is sinetron[1] Sinetron is usually a drama series, following the soap opera format, but can also refer to any fictional series. Sometimes it can be comic, like the popular Bajaj Bajuri series, featuring a bajaj (a taxi-like tricycle) driver and the people he drives around.

Contents

History

The first time Indonesia ever saw a television was in 1955, 29 years after the world's first innovation of television in 1926, and 26 years after world's first television broadcast in 1929. These first televisions was brought from the Soviet Union during the Yogyakarta 200 years anniversary fair. (Pekan Raja 200 Tahoen Kota Djogjakarta).[2]

On July 25, 1961, the Minister of Information, R Maladi, signed a law (SK Menpen) to create the body to prepare the establishment of television in Indonesia. This was established as a part of the preparation for the fourth Asian Games. There was only a year to create a studio, broadcast tower, and other technical equipments in the former site of the Information Academy at Senayan. In that short period of preparation, Soekarno had a very big role, even to choosing the equipments and where they should be imported from. The first experimental TV broadcast was the singular documentary of a celebration of the 17th Anniversary of Indonesia's Independence on August 17, 1962.[2]

At 14.30, August 24, 1962, the citizens of Jakarta witnessed the live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the 4th Asian Games from Gelora Bung Karno. This broadcast was held by the Television Division of the Radio and Television Organizing Committee Bureau. This day is now recognized as the birth of Televisi Republik Indonesia or TVRI, the first television station in Indonesia.[2]

On October 20, 1963, the government issued a Presidential Decision (Keppres) regarding the formation of the Institution of TVRI (Jajasan TVRI). In the first year of the TVRI broadcast, there are 10,000 television owners. Since then, the Institution of TVRI alloted a tax for television-owners until 1969, when the television property tax was transferred through post and giro. From 1963 to 1976, TVRI established television stations in Yogyakarta (1965), Medan (1970), Makassar (1972), Balikpapan (1973), and Palembang (1974). In 2001, TVRI has 12 television stations and 8 production studios. Color broadcast was introduced on September 1, 1979.[2]

Advertisement was introduced to TVRI on March 1, 1963 to coupe with the increasing broadcast hours. This advertisement was known as Siaran Niaga (literally "advertisement broadcast").[2] Now, television advertisements and other general advertisings are known simply as iklan ("advertisement").

On August 16, 1976, the Domestic Satellite Communication System (Sistem Komunikasi Satelit Domestik or SKSD) through Palapa A1 was inaugurated. This communication satellite was the first satellite owned by Indonesia and one of the first satellite operated by a developing country. Palapa A1 has 12 transponders which allows TVRI to distribute its broadcast to the entire Nusantara.[2]

On January 5, 1980, President Soeharto issued an instruction to remove advertisements from TVRI.[3] The reason for this is from the believe that advertisements may create negative effects for the development of Indonesia during that time. This instructions had created pros and cons, especially because there is no research behind this statement. One month later, the Department of Knowledge's Research and Department division decided to perform a research about the effect of advertisements to national development programs.[2]

On August 24, 1989, the second television station in Indonesia, Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia or RCTI, was inaugurated. The television station was owned by Bambang Trihatmodjo. Unlike TVRI, RCTI was allowed to broadcast advertisements up to 15% its broadcast hours. On August 24, 1990, the third television station, Surya Citra Televisi, formerly SCTI or Surabaya Centra Televisi Indonesia, was inaugurated. This television station was owned by "king of cineplex" Sudwikatmono.[2]

On September 13, 1990, the president issued Presidential Decree no. 40 regarding the television property tax collection between Yayasan TVRI and PT Mekatama Raya, a private company owned by Sudwikatmono and Sigit Hardjojudanto. Since the beginning of 1991, this private company was the responsible body to withdraw television property tax from people. The reason for this change is to increase revenue from the lower 1969 post and giro system.[2]

On January 23, 1991, PT Cipta Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI) started its broadcast of educational programs with some advertisements. The company was conducted by Siti Hardjanti. During its first years, TPI share channels with TVRI. Its facility and operators were supported by TVRI in the morning when TVRI didn't broadcast.[2]

On April 14, 1992, the Directorate General of Radio, Television and Films decided that Yayasan TVRI will withdrew back the television property tax from the people when, after one year, PT Mekatama Raya failed to increase the revenue.[2]

On October 1992, the Department of Information issued licenses for six companies to established a private television companies: PT Indosiar Visual Mandiri or Indosiar (Jakarta), PT Sanitya Mandara Televisi (Yogyakarta), PT Merdeka Citra Televisi Indonesia (Semarang), PT Ramako Indotelevisi (Batam), PT Cakrawala Andalas Televisi or ANTV (Lampung), and PT Cakrawala Bumi Sriwijaya Televisi (Palembang). Of all these six television companies, only PT Indosiar Visual Mandiri and PT Cakrawala Andalas Televisi were able to broadcast continuously. On February 28, 1993, PT Cakrawala Andalas Televisi, a joint venture between Agung Laksono and the Bakrie family, started its first broadcast. The broadcast station was initially planned to be located in Lampung, but later moved to Jakarta, in a building at Kuningan. PT Indosiar Visual Mandiri, owned by Salim Group, started its first broadcast on January 11, 1995.[2]

On March 1998, TV Kabel Indovision, operated by PT Matahari Lintas Cakrawala under the leadership of Peter F. Gontha, started its operation as the first cable television in Indonesia (the first cable television was operated in the United States in 1972). Previously, since 1996, Indovision had operated using television decoders and parabolic antennas.[2]

On October 1999, out of fourteen applicants that had been received by Department of Information, five television broadcasting companies passed the selection and received broadcast licenses. These companies are: Trans TV (PT Televisi Transformasi Indonesia, led by Ishadi, the former head of TVRI), MetroTV (operated by Grup Media Indonesia which was led by Surya Paloh), Global TV (PT Global Informasi Bermutu, established by Timmy Habibie), Lativi (PT Lativi Media Karya, owned by Abdul Latief), and TV7 (PT Duta Visual Nusantara Tivi Tujuh). Metro TV was the first to broadcast on November 25, 2000, as the seventh Indonesian television broadcasting companies.[2]

On June 7, 2000, following the changes after the dissolution of the Department of Information by President Abdurrahman Wahid, TVRI was officially change its status into a Service Company (Perusahaan Jawatan).[2]

Chinese languages were banned from 1965 to 1994 in Indonesian television, but its use did not come until years later. In November 2000, Metro TV would become the first to broadcast news in Mandarin to local television stations since broadcasting began in Indonesia.[4]

Types of Indonesian Television Broadcast

Terrestrial

Terrestrial TV started with the establishment of the first television station in Indonesia. Indonesia only has one channel until the establishment of RCTI, first private television in Indonesia. Currently, the major nationwide television station in Indonesia are RCTI, MNCTV, SCTV, ANTV, Indosiar, MetroTV, Trans 7, Trans TV, TvOne, and Global TV. Since Q1 2011 the authority allow (Indonesian) digital television simulcast with analog television in some area. Indonesia adopted DVB-T format.

Satellite

Satellite television has been available in Indonesia since Indovision incorporated on August 8, 1988. Since then, technology for satellite television has changed from analogue to digital. Satellite television in Indonesia using DVB-S format. Up to now, there are more than five satellite pay TV operators: Indovision, TOP TV, TelkomVision, Yes TV, Aora TV, and OkeVision. Satellite television is available nationwide.

Cable

PT Broadband Multimedia Tbk is the first operator for cable TV in Indonesia under the brand name Kabelvision in 1995. In 2006, the company launched Digital 1 along with the technology changed from analogue to digital. The company then change the name of the company to PT First Media Tbk in 2007 and also launched new brand, name First Media. Cable TV now is only available in Jabodetabek area and Surabaya. Cable TV in Indonesia is using DVB-C format.

Mobile

Mobile TV has two categories, free-to-air and Pay TV. Free-to-air TV available for years in Indonesia. Free-to-air is using analogue technology like UHF/VHF. Now free-to-air TV has adopted digital technology. In Indonesia, free-to-air TV is using DVB-H format.

There is only one operator for Mobile Pay TV in Indonesia. Mobile TV is currently only available in Jakarta.

See also

References

  1. ^ Sinetron is an abbreviation from an Indonesian phrasedenotind "electronic cinema".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Dicky. Kompas Research and Development. Kompas Newspaper. 2002
  3. ^ National Budget Plan 1981/1982 (RAPBN 1981/1982)
  4. ^ "Metro TV breaks Indonesian TV mould". Television Asia (Singapore: Cahners Business Information): p. 8. November 2000.