TVRI


TVRI, legally Lembaga Penyiaran Publik Televisi Republik Indonesia is a public television network and the oldest television network in Indonesia. Its national headquarters is in Gelora, Central Jakarta.
TVRI monopolized television broadcasting in Indonesia until 24 August 1989, when the first commercial television station RCTI went on the air. Alongside RRI, TVRI was converted into a public broadcaster on 18 March 2005, becoming the first public broadcasting television network in the country.
A proposed new Broadcasting Act currently in the making would merge TVRI with RRI into RTRI.

History

1962-1975: The idea and initial broadcast

The initial idea to establish a television station in Indonesia was put forward by then Minister of Information Maladi as far as 1952. The argument at the time is that it would be useful for the socialization of the upcoming 1955 general election, but the idea was failed because the idea was deemed as too expensive by the cabinet.
As a part of the preparations for the 1962 Asian Games to be held in Jakarta, in 1961 the Indonesian government decided to include the establishment of a national television station. Later that year, the Television Preparation Committee was formed by the Ministry of Information. On 23 October, President Sukarno ordered to build a studio in the land originally planned for Academy of Information in Senayan, Jakarta and two television towers, as well as preparing programs and human resources.
TVRI was formed based on the Decree of the Minister of Information of the Republic of Indonesia No. 20/SK/VII/61, then it became part of the Bureau of Radio and Television under the Asian Games IV Organizing Committee later on 1962 Asian Games. TVRI broadcast its first test transmission on the Independence Day celebrations from the Merdeka Palace on 17 August 1962. TVRI went on air, airing the 1962 Asian Games opening ceremony on 24 August 1962. It broadcasts the Asian Games event; live broadcasts were held from the morning to evening and delay broadcasts were held from 20:45 until 23:00 WIB. With TVRI's presence, Indonesia became the sixth country in eastern Asia that has television station, behind Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, China and South Korea.
TVRI began broadcasting advertisements starting March 1963. Later on 20 October 1963, the Yayasan TVRI was formally created as the official governing authority for the station with President of Indonesia as Chairman. The foundation experience several changes and lasted until late 1990s.
Two years later, the first regional TVRI station opened in Yogyakarta. Later many regional TVRI stations were opened, including Semarang, Medan, Surabaya, Makassar, Manado, Batam, Palembang, Denpasar and Balikpapan. In years to come, TVRI were operating as a network of these regional stations.

1975-1998: Under the New Order

In 1974, eight years after President Suharto took office, TVRI became a part of the Information Ministry, with the status as a directorate. Its role was to inform the public about government policies. A year after, a decree instituted TVRI a dual status, as a part of the TVRI Foundation and a part of the directorate. In 1976, it began to be broadcast all over Indonesia via Palapa satellite.
The first colour television signal was transmitted via satellite transmission in 1979. The first colour news bulletins were Berita Nasional, Dunia Dalam Berita, breaking events segments on Laporan Khusus and Berita Terakhir.
TVRI in the late 1970s and 1980s became a well-defined mass media component of Department of Information ; previously TVRI aired the morning broadcast only on Sunday, national holidays, and state events.

1998-2006: Transformation and restructurization

After the start of the reform era, especially in 2000, TVRI's status was changed. Under a service corporation form, it became responsible firstly to the Ministry of Finance and was then turned into a limited company under the authority of the State Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises for organizational matters and Ministry of Finance for financial matters. Under this arrangement, TVRI broadcasts in accordance with the principles of public television such as independent, neutral and public interest-oriented. Later in 2002, the status of TVRI has changed again to a limited company, still under the two ministries.
Starting 16 November 1998, TVRI introduced the weekday morning broadcast from 05.30 WIB to 09.30 WIB. This airtime addition would continue until July 2001, where TVRI began its almost full-day broadcasts except late night.
The enactment of the Broadcasting Act No. 32/2002 designated TVRI, along with RRI, as the public broadcasting institution and were removed from direct governmental control of the state. TVRI was given a transition period of 3 years from PT to public broadcasting form. The status then reaffirmed by Government Regulation No. 13/2005. TVRI officially became LPP on 18 March 2005.
On 12 October 2004, Ministry of Education and Culture launched the educational satellite channel TVE. Possibly as a part of widening TVE's reach to larger Indonesian audiences, TVE partnered with TVRI — under the partnership TVRI agree to relay daytime TVE broadcasts starting in 2004. The partnership ends in the early 2010s.

2006-present: Modernization and rebranding

Following the government plan to introduce digital television in Indonesia, TVRI launched its digital broadcasting on 21 December 2010. Initially launched in Jakarta, Surabaya and Batam, TVRI also launched two digital terrestrial channel: TVRI 3 and TVRI 4. The channels were the first digital terrestrial channel in Indonesia. The launch was attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Minister of Communications and Information Technology Tifatul Sembiring.
In 2017, the TVRI board of supervisors installed a well-known television figure Helmy Yahya as the chief director and Apni Jaya Putra as the news and programming director. In the leadership era of Helmy Yahya and Apni Jaya Putra, TVRI began to remodel its programming on a large scale.
On March 29, 2019, at the concert special Menggapai Dunia, TVRI adopted its new logo as a part of the rebranding efforts. The new logo was actually decided to be released in the fourth quarter of 2018, but for several reasons, it was postponed at the end of March 2019. At the same time, all TVRI regional stations have changed their logo in front of their respective offices.
In August 2019, TVRI together with two national private networks and Ministry of Communication and Information Technology officially launched digital television broadcasts for border regions in Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan. With the launch, the government hoped that people in all regions of Indonesia can watch the best, high quality shows that are broadcast on all national and local TV with sharper and clearer images than analog television, without the need for fees such as buying a television.
As the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia urging the government to appeal Indonesians to "work, study, and pray at home", Ministry of Education and Culture partners again with TVRI, this time to broadcast educational programming block starting 13 April 2020. Titled Belajar dari Rumah, the block consists of kids program Jalan Sesama for young children, instructional programming for elementary and high school students, and a parenting program on weekdays; as well as national movies at several weeknights and children, talkshow, and documentary programs at weekends. The block is aired every day at 08.00 to 11.00 WIB and 21.30 to 23.30 WIB on several weeknights, and also broadcast on TV Edukasi.

Organization

TVRI is designated as public broadcasting institution per Act No. 32 of 2002 on Broadcasting, which defined as a "legal entity established by the state; has independent, neutral, not commercial ; and has the function to provide services for the public benefit". Its duty, according to Government Regulation No. 13 of 2005, is "to provide the healthy information, education and entertainment services, social control and unity, and preserve the nation's culture for the whole public benefit by organizing television broadcast that reaches all parts of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia".
TVRI organization structure consists of five Board of Supervisors appointed by the People's Representative Council and six Board of Directors appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Both are sworn in by the President, served for five years and renewable once.
Initially, a "television fee" has been existed to supplement TVRI funding besides the state budget until the 1990s, but later abolished. According to article 15 of the Broadcasting Act, TVRI funding comes from several sources such as broadcasting fees, state or regional budget, community contribution, and advertisement, as well as other legal efforts related to the broadcasting operation. In fact, as of today the broadcasting fee is not yet implemented, and TVRI is asked to generate "non-tax revenue" for the state by various funding sources regulated in Government Regulation No. 33/2017.
As of 2018, TVRI has approximately 4.300 employees, of which 90% are government workers, with an estimated 1.800 of whom are based in Jakarta.

Services

Channels

TVRI currently operates three national channels and a dedicated regional channel, some of them currently broadcast in digital only:
TVRI has 29 regional stations covering all provinces of Indonesia, shown below in their native names and broadcast area:
A regional station for West Papua, TVRI Papua Barat, is currently under testing.
A former regional station for East Timor, TVRI Dili, ceased operation in 1999. East Timor national broadcaster RTTL currently takes place.

Recent controversies

HTI events airing

On June 6, 2013, TVRI aired a delayed broadcast of the Muktamar Khilafah organized by Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia in Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta. The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission Commissioner, Idy Muzayyad assesses that TVRI as a public broadcasting institution has "experiencing national disorientation" by broadcasting this event because "HTI's ideology is questioning the state ideology and nationalism, as well as rejecting democracy"; but HTI spokesperson Ismail Yusanto says that "TVRI is a public broadcaster, and HTI is also a part of the public" and the broadcast is "a part of the public's right to be broadcast and heard". TVRI was called and was open to the possibility of being sanctioned by KPI.

The dismissal of Helmy Yahya and internal chaos

On December 6, 2019, Helmy Yahya has been temporarily dismissed as President Director for the 2017-2022 period by the TVRI Board of Supervisors lead by Arief Hidayat Thamrin and replaced by acting President Director Supriyono. According to news sources in almost all mass media on January 16, 2020, Helmy Yahya was officially dismissed from his position by the board permanently and unilaterally; citing the "too expensive" purchase of broadcast rights for the Premier League from Djarum Media's premium multiplatform network Mola TV, a problem during Siapa Berani quiz show, and other problems. The dismissal made most of the public disappointed and wanted to defend that Helmy Yahya remained legitimate in leading TVRI until 2022, but unfortunately the board continued to refuse Helmy Yahya's defense until the election for the new president director to replace him.
As of March 27, 2020, another three directors were temporarily dismissed for less than a month by the TVRI Board of Supervisors regarding the Helmy Yahya case. Unfortunately, after the dismissal of the three directors the conflict was still revoked. On May 13, all of them were permanently dismissed.
On May 27, 2020, the TVRI Board of Supervisors has appointed Indonesian advertising practitioner, journalist, and filmmaker/film director Iman Brotoseno as the new President Director for the remainder of the 2017-2022 period, replacing Helmy Yahya.

Logos

List of slogans