"The number of frequencies used for television broadcasting is limited and belongs to the state, and therefore it must be used for the largest interest of the people, but due to the monopoly in ownership, they have so far been used for certain political interests," the deputy secretary general of the ruling party, Ramadhan Pohan, said during a seminar on "Press Disclosure: Metro TV and TVOne Replying to the Democrat Party`s Complaint to the Indonesia Broadcasting Commission (KPI)" here on Tuesday.
On February 23, the deputy secretary of the Democrat Party`s Election Success Team, Ferry Juliantoro, complained to KPI regarding the two television stations` news coverage about the party.
Ramadhan said the Democrat Party supported Ferry`s move because, unlike other kinds of media television frequency to broadcast cannot be misused by political interests.
He added that Metro TV has so far reported about negative events involving Democrat Party members, while on the other hand provided much air time for the speech of its owner, Surya Paloh, who is also the chairman of the Nasional Demokrat Party.
On TVOne he said the station has aired many reports about the corruption cases involving Democrat Party members, while not reporting about the Lapindo mud flood in East Java involving its owner, Aburizal Bakried.
"If it is done by the print media it is alright. The Democrat Party will not complain about it. The Democrat Party has complained because, in this case, it is television stations that use the infrastructure that belongs to the state, namely the frequencies and, therefore, they are not allowed to misuse it for certain political interests," he said.
Ramadhan Pohan, who is a former journalist, said that the current mass media is no longer being used as a means of controlling the government but, instead, to scare certain people.
(T.G005/Uu.KR-BSR/H-YH/INE)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
