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Local fans lose out on Premier League
For Indonesian soccer fans, there is no such thing as a free match, especially when it comes to the English Premier League
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For Indonesian soccer fans, there is no such thing as a free match, especially when it comes to the English Premier League.
This season's league, dubbed the most lucrative and most watched soccer competition, can only be enjoyed through pay TV channel Aora.
But the public has a right to information from the media, including getting soccer matches such as the Premier League on free-to-air TV, said Mochamad Riyanto, member of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI).
"That soccer fans have to subscribe to certain cable TV channels to watch international leagues, for example the Premier League, is definitely a violation of the spirit of having freedom of information, which is stipulated in Law No. 32/2002 on broadcasting," he told The Jakarta Post here Monday.
"Given that only one cable TV channel is airing the show, I see it (this condition) leading to a business monopoly and it has to be stopped if it harms people's rights."
Riyanto said sporting events were perceived to be a promising entertainment industry for Indonesia, especially on television.
"That's why some broadcasting companies are making profits from the event," he said, adding that KPI is drafting a regulation for broadcasting to prevent monopolies.
Aora TV, a satellite-based local pay TV service, from PT Karyamegah Adijaya, earned the broadcasting rights for the Premier League from All Asia Multimedia Network and ESPN STAR Sports -- the joint owners of the rights for the Asia market -- on Aug. 17. Its service began Aug. 18, two days after the league kicked off.
The cable TV station, owned by former industry and trade minister Rini M. Soemarno, began operating during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Last season, the Premier League matches were broadcast by the cable TV channel Astro.
According to Aora's media relations officer, Dinar Hanggarani, the 2008-2009 season Premier League, estimated to attract half a billion viewers across more than 200 countries, cost the company around US$20 million.
"We are covering all 370 live matches this season, from two channels, ESPN and STAR Sports," Dinar told the Post.
RCTI, one of the regular television channels, said it had no plans to buy the TV rights for the Premier League. The station has broadcast rights for the Champions League and the 2008-2009 Spanish League.
"We already have a full schedule for sports matches until 2011, including the Asian Football Federation championship in December. So we're not interested in the Premier League," said RCTI program director Harsiwi Ahmad.
Another free-to-air station, ANtv, also has no plans to broadcast the Premier League matches.
ANtv head of corporate communications Zoraya Perucha said her company was focusing only on broadcasting the Indonesian Soccer League as it had paid Rp 100 billion ($10.86 million) for the domestic competition's 10 seasons.
