Selasa, 29 Desember 2009

Translation I :Infotainment should not be broadcast: Minister

Infotainment should not be broadcast: Minister

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sun, 12/27/2009 2:05 PM | Headlines.
Criticism of entertainment news on television has escalated, with more people saying that
infotainment programs aired by private television stations present baseless rumors and
violate the privacy of local celebrities.
The latest condemnation came Saturday from the Religious Affairs Minister,
Suryadharma Ali.
"I personally agree with *Muslim organization* Nahdlatul Ulama's *NU* stance that
infotainment programs that delve into people's private lives must be discontinued,"
Suryadharma said after meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the
President's Cikeas residence on Saturday.
The minister said all people, including the media, should respect individual privacy.
Although he shared NU's view on the issue, Suryadharma refused to comment on what
his ministry would do to act on the NU statement.
"It is not good to watch people being hounded *by reporters* and to have details of their
private lives exposed on television," Suryadharma was quoted as saying by Antara news
agency.
On Friday, NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi demanded television stations stop broadcasting
infotainment programs, saying the shows had no redeeming values and were a negative
influence on the audience and society at large.
According to the NU website, Muzadi said television programs that exposed private lives
to the public threatened family harmony.
"Infotainment is not an example of either democracy or freedom of expression. It is
character assassination and is the cause of family breakups," he said, adding that the
government, especially Information and Communication Minister Tifatul Sembiring,
should immediately act against these programs.
At a meeting of Muslim leaders in Surabaya, East Java, in 2006, the NU had declared
infotainment programs haram (forbidden under Islamic law) because it presents ghibah
(gossip), which is forbidden in Islam.
Last August, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) also warned against the negative
influence of infotainment programs. MUI chairman Amidhan said Muslims must not
watch infotainment programs as they presented ghibah.
The issue peaked recently with a dispute between actress Luna Maya and infotainment
journalists, who, backed by the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI), filed a police
report accusing the actress of making disparaging comments on their profession via a
message she sent out on Twitter.