The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission in Riau Islands province has criticized a number of radio stations in Batam for selling airtime to religious groups from Singapore, allowing them to broadcast religious programmes in foreign languages. The commission’s provincial chairman, Hendriyanto, told The Jakarta Post that out of 14 private radio stations in Batam, five have sold airtime to religious institutions from Singapore.
The airtime is being used to broadcast religious programmes in foreign languages like English, Mandarin and Tagalog from the Philippines. An hour-long slot costs between S$60 and 100 per hour, with each of the radio stations involved broadcasting such programmes for at least three hours per day. “There are religious programmes from the Confucian, Christian and other religions, and they are aired in English or Mandarin,” Hendriyanto said.
(Source: Jakarta Post/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)