TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Letter: Protect children from impact of TV

Friday, July 23 is National Children’s Day when Indonesian children joyfully celebrate the fulfillment of their rights to grow healthily and be free from the adverse influence of their environment

The Jakarta Post
Fri, July 23, 2010 Published on Jul. 23, 2010 Published on 2010-07-23T11:23:59+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

F

riday, July 23 is National Children’s Day when Indonesian children joyfully celebrate the fulfillment of their rights to grow healthily and be free from the adverse influence of their environment.

However, are our children free from the influence of the media, especially television broadcasts? Our research has indicated Indonesian children watch TV for three to five hours daily or 30-35 hours weekly on average.

The broadcasts they watch include unsuitable children’s programs, TV dramas, infotainment, reality shows and the like, which obviously can upset and even spoil their childhood due to the entry of the adult world into their minds.

Actually, children should be more engaged in play that involves physical acts and spend their spare time on activities that are compatible with their world.

Therefore, the National Coalition on No TV Day appeals to all families to reduce the dependence of children on the media — particularly television — and replace it with other enjoyable activities that involve other family members and also their friends. Avoid turning on TV at home on Sunday, July 25, 2010, because it is a “No TV Day”.

The No TV Day is in no way anti-TV. It is in the context of protecting children from the negative impact of TV, reminding parents of the importance of restricting children’s TV viewing habit, and expressing concern over inferior TV shows unsafe for children. If all families unite to reject such broadcasts, the TV industry will surely pay greater attention to our rights as TV viewers.

The No TV Day is organized by a national coalition. This year, the day is being marked for the fifth time. The coalition’s members are various NGOs of children’s education and protection, colleges, students’ associations, and all levels of schools in different Indonesian cities.

The support of society is very much needed and will be conveyed to the broadcasting industry, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, the Communications and Information Technology Ministry, and the House Commission, to be given due attention. Your support may be sent to kritismedia@gmail.com; SMS 0812-1002.4009; and fax: 021-8690.5680. For further information please visit www.kidia.org or Facebook and Twitter (No TV Day).

B. Guntarto
National Coalition on No TV Day 2010
Jakarta

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.