Being Indonesian

Paper Edition | Page: 14

As Indonesia celebrates its 67th anniversary, it’s high time to reflect on the meaning of being independent and becoming Indonesians. A quick glance at TV shows gives glimpses into the interests of Indonesians and who they are aspiring to be.

Talk shows

Many talk shows bring only celebrities to talk about their latest projects, but Kick Andy makes celebrities out of Indonesians who make a difference in their communities. Hosted by journalist Andy Noya, the show is aired on MetroTV every Friday night and rebroadcasted on Sunday.

Now it has a spin-off show called Kick Andy Hope, a show in which Andy travels across Indonesia to help and motivate needy communities. Andy also publishes the Kick Andy magazine, which covers behind-the-scenes of the show.

Infotainment shows

Coined from information and entertainment, infotainment shows started gracing the glass screen in early 1990s. Taking inspiration from E! Entertainment Shows, infotainment shows focus on the latest news of celebrities.

Once the TV stations complete the morning news segments, they begin airing infotainment shows as early as 7 a.m. Some TV stations even have the morning, noon and evening infotainment shows, just like the news segments. Either live-airing the weddings of celebrities or showing the shoes closet of a dangdut singer, infotainment shows give Indonesians glimpses to celebrities they adore.

Reality show of talent-scouting

With infotainment shows flooding the airwaves, many Indonesians dream of becoming celebrities. Reality shows like Indonesian Idol (aired on RCTI), Indonesia Mencari Bakat (Indonesia Searches For Talent, on Trans TV) and Galaxy Superstar (aired on Indosiar) provide people with the opportunity to be the next singing sensation, or the chance to have their 15-minutes of fame.

Nevertheless, while many Indonesians like to sing and watch other people sing, it does not necessarily mean that everyone is a good singer, as the judges of singing competition reality shows decide.

Lifestyle shows

The rise of economics in early 1990s meant people started to have more money for secondary needs. Travel and cooking shows now provide people with the lifestyles they dream of, while at the same time enlighten audiences by showing that travel is not only for men and cooking is not only for women.

Nowadays, travel shows not only feature local tourism sites, the beautiful scenery and how to get there, but they also tell audiences about interesting places only locals know about and where to save money or make a big splurge, like Koper dan Ransel (Luggage and Backpack, on Trans TV). Cooking shows have also seen a major development, from only whipping up a dish to incorporating local harvests, such as A la Chef, also on Trans TV.

Religious and mystery shows

The world of the supernatural attracts Indonesians interested in religion and mystery. Religious shows featuring sermons from famous clerics like Mamah dan Aa (Mama and Aa, aired on Indosiar), are usually aired at dawn, while the mystery shows featuring urban legends, like Mister Tukul Jalan Jalan (Mr. Tukul On The Road, aired on Trans 7), are aired at around midnight.