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n era when all television viewers in Indonesia watched simultaneously 'Dunia Dalam Berita', a popular news program aired by state-owned television TVRI in 1960s, is over. The heyday of TVRI with its famous hosts like Krisbiantoro, Koeshendratmo and Tantowi Yahya has been the story made in reference books.

TVRI now is like an old woman who continually strives to exist and remain charming. Today, TVRI turns 51 years old, quite a mature age if we refer to human age. For TVRI, however, at this stage of maturity, it should be a turning point with a 'new spirit' in order to remain interesting for its viewers.

In fact, TVRI ' as the oldest and first television station in the country ' still has potential as it reaches 65 percent of the country's population, however, its audience shares, unfortunately, only reached 0.75 percent (Rhenald Kasali's Camera Branding, Cameragenic vs Auragenic).

When it was founded in 1962, TVRI was designed as part of the political strategy of the country's first president Sukarno to broadcast the Asian Games held in Jakarta.

During president Soeharto's era, TVRI became a 'one bullet theory', an integral part of the government policy represented by the Communications and Information Ministry.

All government policies and programs are communicated to the public through TVRI's programs all over the country rapidly, precisely and correctly. At that time, TVRI had two supporting bodies, a foundation and a Directorate, and was managed as a bureaucratic institution. Hence, the staff of TVRI are all civil servants.

After the fall of the New Order, TVRI has been transformed into several forms. Under the administration of president Abdurrahman Wahid, a Government Regulation or PP No. 36/2000 on TVRI's status as a corporate office under the supervision of the Finance Ministry was issued.

A year later, another PP No. 64/2001 which regulates that TVRI be supervised by two ministries, the State-Owned Enterprises for its organizational affairs and the Finance Ministry for its financial affairs, was issued.

On April 17, 2002, again, another PP No. 9/2002 on TVRI's new status as a Limited Company or PT under the supervision of the two ministries: the Ministry of Finance and the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, was issued.

Under Law No. 32/2002 on Broadcasting, TVRI was designated a public broadcaster with a legal entity established by the state. The underlying spirit of the new status is to provide information to the public in a neutral, independent and non-commercial way. Later, PP No. 13/2005 was issued.

It regulates TVRIs' duties to provide educational and entertaining information as well as to act as a social control and unifier of the nation. In addition, TVRI preserves national culture for the benefit of the Indonesian society.

In the current Reform era, TVRI is put under supervision of the Communications and Information Ministry. Still, it is managed under a bureaucratic system for civil servants and funded by the state budget. Name, form and status may change, yet the content and spirit of TVRI remain the same as it was during the New Order era. TVRI should no longer produce programs that current viewers consider 'old- fashioned products'. Romanticism of the past is over and it is impossible to stick with 'memories of the past' (Rhenald Kasali's et al).

Many believe that TVRI needs to be revised to make it more 'powerful and lively'. One of the strategies is to slightly revise its position. The aim is clear ' to make TVRI more professional. It is time for TVRI to be free from any political influence of any ministry or institution, except for the president, as said by the law. It's so often and obvious that all this time TVRI has been used by certain political parties due to the minister's position as a member of a certain political party. Such influence is risky as the product of television is directly watched by millions of viewers. Furthermore, it could trigger action easily.

Many have demanded that TVRI become an independent institution. The issue is crucial and relevant, especially prior to the 2014 general elections. It is common knowledge that television channels in Indonesia are affiliated with the owners and their political interests. They often blatantly promote the interest of the owners' political interest. TVRI should be far from this game.

If the government really wishes to make TVRI an independent television station, it only needs to reform it without replacing the current laws. A revision on the PP No. 13/2005 is legally possible, by changing the paragraphs on its employment and financial system.

TVRI needs a professional management system, especially regarding to its human resources. Many of its staff act like bureaucrats than professional broadcasters. Under the revised management this unprofessional attitude should be gone. There is one example how TVRI needs an evaluation. Currently, only civil servant can fill in top positions in TVRI although their competence is not necessarily sufficient to the positions.

Another example is the tendency among television crews who are 'reluctant' to pursue hot news in the absence of 'transportation money'. The current financial system in TVRI has also triggered 'less spirit of competition' with other television stations as they prefer to stay in the comfort zone. 'We work or do not work, we are paid anyway'. The financial dependence to the state budget also must be changed.

In fact, TVRI can become a 'public service body', especially regarding its financial system. The government needs not to set up a new body, but can merely establish a financial management system, which is applied under a government's working unit. Preferably, a unit that has experience giving public service and has a non-tax income like TVRI. Under such a working unit, TVRI is expected to have better prospects in providing faster and more qualified products in the future.

The spirit of this new management is to apply a business practice which is relevant to TVRI's mission as a mixture between a public service institution funded by the state budget as well as a business institution which is authorized to get non-budget funds through its business (broadcasting fee, public donation, advertisement and other legitimate income based on article No. 34 of Government Regulation No. 13/2005).

Under the Public Service Body (BLU) financial management, TVRI will be more flexible to develop itself as an independent institution as mandated by government regulation. It will not be too bureaucratic, although it is still funded by the state budget.

At the end, TVRI will be reborn as an independent broadcaster which is free from any political interest. TVRI will become an agent of change for the nation toward a smart and dignified Indonesian society. By doing so, it is expected that TVRI will not be like an 'underdog' television station.

TVRI is the pioneer in the television industry. It should not be defeated by its juniors. TVRI has spawned a lot of great people, and it should not stop in creating more great people who faithfully maintain the dignity of TVRI for the nation.

Happy birthday TVRI!

The writer is a lecturer in communication studies for vocational program, the University of Indonesia.