Indonesian Television News-Making Before and After Suharto

Abstract

The first part of the article sketches the fast-changing Indonesian television landscape: until a few years ago Indonesian audiences were used to watching the state-owned TVRI channel only. Nowadays they can choose among five additional commercial stations. The second part of the article looks at the extent to which the national context allows for `quality' in television news or if, on the contrary, it constitutes an impediment to it. In-dept interviews with local news-makers and policy-makers in both state television and commercial television stations highlight two major problem areas for news-making: an omnipresent political control and a lack of professionalism. Finally, the article examines the roles played by Indonesian television news departments during the current period of political upheaval and reform.

Keywords

in-depth interviews Indonesian television news quality measurement reform movement

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Alfian, T.I. , C.C. Godwin and A. Taufik (eds) (1981) Satellite Television in Indonesia. Jakarta: Leknas/LIPI East West Center Communication Institute.

Bell, A. (1991) The Language of News Media. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Chan, J.M. and E.K.W. Ma (1996) `Asian Television: Global Trends and Local Processes', Gazette 58(1): 45-60.

Deppen (1995) Radio, televisi dan film dalam era 50 tahun Indonesia merdeka. Jakarta: Departement Penerangan Republik Indonesia, Direktorat Jenderal Radio - Televisi - Film (Dirjen RTF).

d'Haenens, Leen , Effendi Gazali and Chantal Verelst (1999) `In Search of Quality Measures for News Programming on Indonesian Television: If the Programme Makers Had Their Say', in David French and Michael Richards (eds) Contemporary Television: Eastern Perspectives, 2nd edn. New Delhi: Sage.

Gatra (1996) `Boleh dicabut lewat pengadilan', Gatra 21 December.

Glaser, B.G. and A.L. Strauss (1967) The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago, IL: Aldine.

Golding, P. and G. Murdock (1992) `Culture, Communications, and Political Economy', in J. Curran and M. Gurevitch (eds) Mass Media and Society. London and New York: Edward Arnold.

Keuning, S.J. , D.F.W. van der Mark and J.G.L. Palte (1987) Indonesië. Amsterdam: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT).

10.

Kuswandi, W. (1996) Komunikasi Massa: Sebuah Analisis Media Televisi. Jakarta: PT Rineka Cipta.

11.

McDaniel, D.O. (1994) Broadcasting in the Malay World: Radio, Television and Video in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

12.

PPPI (Persatuan Perusahhan Periklanan Indonesia) (1996) Media Scene, 1995-1996. Indonesia: The Official Guide to Advertising Media in Indonesia. Jakarta: PPPI.

13.

Ricklefs, M.C.M. (1981) A History of Modern Indonesia: C. 1300 to the Present. London: Macmillan.

14.

Schlesinger, P. (1987) Putting `Reality' Together: BBC News, 2nd edn. London: Methuen.

15.

Schulte-Noordholt, N.G. (1991) Indonesië. Amsterdam and Brussels: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)/NOVIB/NCOS.

16.

Sedel, D. (1995) `Le Paysage audiovisuel indonésien: un développement trop rapide?', Médiaspouvoirs 39-40: 9-12.

17.

Strauss, A. and J. Corbin (1990) Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. London: Sage.

18.

Wahyudi, J.B. (1984) Jurnalistik Televisi: tentang dan sekitar siaran berita TVRI. Bandung: Penerbit Alumni.