Public service broadcaster: a utopian idea?

Introduction

The global history of broadcasting policy has shown that government monopoly over broadcasting sector is no longer viable in many countries. Along with the state and/or public service television, commercial TV stations has grown significantly to provide services for their customers (Collins, 2008). On the other hand, it has been argued that broadcast frequency is considered as public’s good and exists in public domain (Flew, 2006). In this context, the idea of public service obligation for all broadcasting companies arises and persists. Therefore, the commodification of the public’s good has been put into questions: how commercial TV station could gain profit without violating the public interest? And how commercial TV station could gain profit while at the same time fulfill its public service role? Under these questions, broadcasting law becomes relevant and crucial.

ASEAN TV for ASEAN Community

INTRODUCTION

Television has been argued as an effective medium to form and cultivate particular identity of its viewers (Halim and Rosidi, 2012, Larrea, 2013, Chan, 2011). Therefore, it suggests that television can also be used as a mean to project, shape, and cultivate particular identity of its viewers. Under this notion, this proposal is written to recommend for the establishment of ASEAN TV in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region as a mean to promote and cultivate a sense of ASEAN identity within the people of ASEAN. This recommendation is proposed as ASEAN member countries will start to become a community in 2015 under a new identity as an “ASEAN Community”.