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Illegal pay-TV operators overrun Indonesia: Association
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An afternoon news program is being filmed at a TVRI studio. Indonesian Cable TV Association (ICTA) president Faisal Ershad says illegal pay-TV operators are mushrooming in the country, serving millions of people.
(The Jakarta Post/R. Bertho Wedhatama)
W
ith its open sky policy and lack of law enforcement, the country is estimated to be home to more than 5,000 illegal pay-TV operators serving 7 million households.
Illegal cable operations usually take place in areas with a lack of infrastructure, located behind the mountains or in remote areas commercially less profitable, said Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) chief Judhariksawan in Jakarta on Tuesday.
"Then, they share the TV content with other households by pulling out cables. They collect fees, acting as small businesses," he explained, underlining that they did not have permits or legal documents.
TV broadcasting companies in Indonesia are categorized as either satellite-based, cable-based or terrestrial-based. There are 462 legal pay-TV operators, which consist of 20 satellite-based TV operators, 440 cable TV, and two terrestrial pay-TV operators.
According to Indonesian Cable TV Association (ICTA) data, legal pay-TV operators serve around 1.5 million customers, far less than customers of illegal ones.
"We conducted a survey at the district level, not yet reaching the villages, but already got a list of 5,000 names [of illegal operators]. For example, in two small regencies Banyuwangi and Pacitan [East Java] there were 300 and 150 operators, respectively," said ICTA president Faisal Ershad. (ags)
