During the past five years, it has become typical for public or customer service places to provide televisions in waiting rooms.

At the bank, as a respite from boredom during busy times, customers can watch MTV, the Discovery channel, news or films.  

When I went to the state bank office, a man intently watching a fashion show didn’t realize when it was his turn.  

“Sir, please go ahead!” was the first call from teller.  Until the second call, he continued to keep his eyes glued on the screen, he was that interested in the TV show.

A customer behind him nudged him and said “The teller has called you Pak, twice”. Finally aware, he seemed a little bit ashamed that he didn’t notice that it was his turn.

It also happens in the waiting room at a private hospital. There are about three lanes of chairs that directly face the television. It’s like a theater that specializes in soap operas and infotainment.

Customers often don’t notice if the announcer calls their name. It seemed they have been enchanted by the entertainment.     

When I went to the drugstore, a girl who served kept looking at the television as if she would miss the plot, and often forgot to serve her customers. I had to speak up to break the spell.   

The television seems to haunt you everywhere, It invades all environments. I think this happens as people are dependent on television for information and entertainment.

This should concern the government and the public. Access to information is the people’s right. Public service offices may be fulfilling this right by providing televisions in waiting rooms. Yet television should not be the only method of accessing information.

For the past three months, I have been regularly visiting a Chinese medical clinic in Central Jakarta. 

There is no television in the waiting room, only books.  Various books, magazines and newspapers.  

Most are medical books. I like to read medical books related to my disease. By not providing a television, the clinic is encouraging people to read. Those who don’t like reading may only see the pictures or advertisements in the magazine, but it’s still good. They may find useful tips or develop a love of reading.

If only all public service places, particularly those run by the government, would exchange television with books, it might encourage more people to read. It may be effective in promoting reading without significantly affecting people’s habits.

One day, on the way home on an angkot (public minivan), a mother and her five-year-old son chatted. Like other children of his age, he kept talking and commenting on what he saw.     

Suddenly, the kid asked his mother an unexpected question.

“Mom, is it right that Luna Maya and Ariel Peterpan together again?”, he asked while looking up to her mother. The mother responded with a laugh.  Other three passengers also smiled to hear the spontaneous question.   

I thought his mother would advise him not to watch such a program. I was surprised when she said, “So, don’t change the channel if Mom is watching infotainment. I thought you only liked Spongebob Squarepants.”  

And the boy was silent. I did not know what he thought. I didn’t know what’s in the mother’s mind. 

Didn’t she realize the negative impact of such program on her kid? Infotainment might be suitable for her, but not her son.     

By replacing televisions with books in public service places, it will “force” people to read. I imagine in the future, more Indonesian people will bring books to read on public transportation and in waiting rooms, etc. For the time being, TV seems to be the clear winner in the battle against books.

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