KPI to scrutinize NasDem ads

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) will respond to complaints that the NasDem Party commercials, which are regularly broadcast on Metro TV — both the party and television station were founded by media tycoon Surya Paloh — have possibly breached broadcasting regulations, KPI commissioner Nina Mutmainnah says.

The investigation will focus on documents concerning tax payments, among other things, to find out whether there was any intervention by Surya.

According to Nina, the broadcasting law stipulates that broadcast media sources should be professionally independent of their owners; meaning owners are not allowed to interfere with any aspect of the broadcaster’s work.

“If the party paid for the commercials, then that will be fine,” Nina said during a hearing before the House of Representatives’ Commission I overseeing information on Tuesday.

“We are currently analyzing journalistic ethics and the commercials,” she said as quoted by kontan.co.id.