Next session (September 5th): Indonesian television, corporate interests and social functions

TviT starts the academic year of 2011-2012 with a fresh and interesting session. First of all, as part of his PhD-research into local television in Indonesia, Bram Hendrawan will present the findings of this latest field trip and article called “Televising the ‘Local’: Between Corporate Interests and Social Functions”.

Here’s the abstract:

“Studies  on  Indonesian  local  television  focus  on  the  social  function  of  local television  as  a  medium  for   the  construction  of  public  sphere  and  cultural identity.  This  social  approach  to  local  television  misses   an  important character  of  these  new  stations  namely  their  commercial  characters.  This paper  looks   at  corporate  strategies  (structure  of  ownership,  the  expansion of  service  area  and  modes  of   generating  income)  employed  by  two private local  television  stations  in  Yogyakarta  and  Solo:  Jogja   TV  and  TATV.  The main  question  is  whether  and  how  such  corporate  strategies  limit  the social   function  of  local  television.  It  is  argued  that  corporate  strategies  of these  two  television  stations  limit   the  potential  of  local  television  to  carry out  its  social  function  as  it  is  envisioned  by  its  proponents.   The  logics  of profit  making  pose  a  threat  to  the  creation  of  diversity  that  is  envisioned to  be  the   characteristic  of  local  television.”   

Next to Brams presentation, Jasmijn van Gorp and Marc Bron (UvA) will demonstrate and test the new search tool they have developed for the Dutch Institute for Sound and Vision. This demonstration is part of their BRIDGE project. So bring your laptop and see you all on Monday September 5th, 3.30 p.m. at Janskerkhof 13, room 0.06.*

*Please note that the location has not been confirmed yet, so keep checking your e-mail and/or this website for additional changes.