KPI Rules During Ramadan: TV Forbids Bringing Dai From Prohibited Organizations And Avoid Hugs During Live

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) issued a circular on the implementation and supervision of broadcasts for broadcasters in the month of Ramadan. All television stations are required to follow this rule.

This circular was issued on Tuesday 15 March. KPI asked broadcasters to pay attention to several things based on the rules and results of coordination meetings with a number of stakeholders including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

Following are the key points in the circular:

1. Broadcasting institutions are required to pay attention to regulations related to respect for religious values, politeness, decency, and propriety of broadcast/impressions in the context of respecting the values of the holy month of Ramadan;

2. Bearing in mind that during the month of Ramadan there is a change in the pattern of watching television and listening to the radio, broadcasters are urged to be more careful in complying with the provisions of P3SPS in every program broadcast related to the principle of protecting children and adolescents at all broadcast hours;

3. Increase the duration and frequency of da'wah-laden programs;

4. Prioritizing the use of competent, credible preachers/preachers, not related to prohibited organizations as stated by law in Indonesia, and in accordance with MUI standards, and in delivering the material always upholding the values of Pancasila and Indonesianness.

5. Broadcasting/broadcasting the Maghrib call to prayer as a sign of breaking the fast and respecting important times during the month of Ramadan such as dawn, Imsak, and Fajr call to prayer according to the time in their respective broadcast service areas;

6. Pay attention to the appropriateness of clothing worn by presenters, hosts, and/or supporters/characters to match the atmosphere of Ramadan;

7. Do not display excessive consumption of food and/or drink (close-up or detail) which can reduce the solemnity of fasting;

8. Be more careful in displaying jokes (verbal/nonverbal) and avoid hugging/holding/making out with the opposite sex in all programs, whether broadcast live (live) or tapping (recorded);

9. Not displaying body movements, and/or dances associated with erotic, sensual, obscene, either individually or with other people;

10. Not displaying harsh and insulting expressions that have dirty/obscene/vulgar meanings, and/or insult religion and religious values;

11. Not showing performers that have the potential to cause harm/badness to the audience unless they are shown as people who find the goodness of life (conversion or repentance) or inspiration in life while still paying attention to the boundaries of privacy and respect for other religions; and

12. Regarding the provisions of point b, during the month of Ramadan broadcasters are requested not to display content containing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT), hedonistic, mystical/horror/supernatural, hypnotic practices or the like, exploiting conflict and/or privacy someone, talking about sex, and content that is contrary to the norms of decency and decency;

13. Be more careful in presenting content that contains different views/understandings by presenting competent and accountable sources so that it does not cause debate or noise in the community, as stipulated in Article 7 of the Regulation of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission Number 02/P/KPI/03/ 2012 concerning Broadcast Program Standards;

14. Broadcasting institutions are required to implement health protocols in order to suppress the spread of COVID-19 as stipulated in Central KPI Decree Number 12 of 2020 concerning Broadcasting Institutions Support in Efforts to Prevent and Overcome the Spread of COVID-19.