"This request is an appeal, it is not explicitly written, but it is the commitment of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission," Central KPI Commissioner Nuning Rodyah told ANTARA here Saturday.
KPI's advice was made in response to a domestic violence case perpetrated by actor Rizky Billar, who often appeared on television, against his wife, dangdut singer Lesti Kejora, she remarked.
The agency believes that a restriction against domestic violence perpetrators appearing on television is necessary, as failure to do so might arouse public perception that domestic violence is not a crime when the perpetrators can still appear on television shows without any repercussions.
"We must not allow (domestic violence) perpetrators to remain glorified and praised as a public figure. We must ensure a deterrent effect against domestic violence perpetrators in our broadcasting," Rodyah noted.
She affirmed that the agency will sanction television stations that continue to broadcast perpetrators of domestic violence in a flattering manner despite the restriction being merely an appeal.
The agency will also investigate whether programmes showing domestic violence perpetrators merely intend to highlight the legal process of their actions or become their medium to defend their actions, the commissioner remarked.
"We will allow (television stations) to show domestic violence perpetrator in the context of legal action (to their case), but if he (appears) as a guest star that is exposing privacy and bolstering his hegemony over his actions, we believe it must not be broadcast on television," Rodyah remarked.
She pointed out that Law No. 32 of 2002 on Broadcasting, mandating broadcast programmes to have educative, informative, and entertaining purposes, will be referred in sanctioning television stations.
The educative purpose of broadcasting is the basis to restrict television stations from showing domestic violence perpetrators, she added.
Apart from the law, the agency's Broadcasting Behaviour and Broadcasting Programmes Standard Guide (P3SPS) will also be referred while considering sanctions against television stations.
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Translator: Maria Cicilia, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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