The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission Demands Television Stations Not to Air Wildlife Exploitation Shows
The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (better known as KPI) finally issued a letter of appeal to all national television stations in Indonesia requesting the stations not to air shows exploiting wildlife. In the letter Number 455/K/KPI/07/12 signed by the Chairman, Mochamad Riyanto, it was mentioned that the television stations should abide to the wildlife law: Law Number 5 year 1990 concerning the Conservation of the natural resources and the ecosystem. According to the law, the commercial use of a protected wildlife is prohibited.
Apart from that, the commission also sent a warning letter to MNC TV, the television station which recently aired a soap opera called "Aladin" containing an inappropriate scene. On 28 June 2012, the television program showed some children throwing a slow loris to other children to tease them. In the letter Number 438/K/KPI/07/12, the commission considered that the scene was inappropriate to be aired because it could be bad model for children.
The warning letter which was signed by the Chairman Deputy, Ezki Suyanto, had been issued after receiving a report from ProFauna Indonesia dated 29 June 2012. Previously, ProFauna also reported some television shows exploiting wildlife aired in Global TV, another national television station. The titles of the shows being reported were Petualangan Panji (Adventure of Panji) and Steve Ewon. With the issue of the warning letter, ProFauna hopes that the commission could give a warning letter to Global TV because the shows are not only inappropriate but also encouraging the viewers to do animal cruelty.
ProFauna applauds both the letter of appeal and the warning letter because such shows containing wildlife exploitation could be imitated by the viewers. Despite the letters, ProFauna with its thousands volunteers will keep monitoring the television shows to endure that there will be no shows exploiting wildlife.