Television Day in Indonesia Date in the current year: August 24, 2024

In 1952, Indonesian Minister of Information Maladi suggested to establish a television station, claiming it would help with the upcoming legislative elections. However, the government deemed the idea too expensive. The idea resurfaced after the Indonesian capital of Jakarta had been chosen as the host city of the 1962 Asian Games.

In 1961, the government of Indonesia included the establishment of a national television station in the preparations for the event. The Ministry of Information formed the Television Preparation Committee, and President Sukarno ordered to build a studio and two television towers, as well as to start training specialists and preparing programs.

Indonesia’s first national television studio was named Television of the Republic of Indonesia (Televisi Republik Indonesia, TVRI). It aired first test broadcast on August 17, 1962, during the Independence Day celebrations. A week later, on August 24, TVRI aired the opening ceremony of the 1962 Asian Games. The anniversary of this broadcast is regarded as TVRI’s founding day. It is celebrated annually as Television Day.

Indonesia became the sixth country in East and Southeast Asia to introduce television, after Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, China, and South Korea. Two years later, TVRI opened its first regional station in Yogyakarta. After that, more regional stations were opened in other cities, including Semarang, Medan, Surabaya, Makassar, Manado, Batam, Palembang, Denpasar, and Balikpapan. TRI began satellite broadcasts in 1976 and introduced color television in 1979.

The national state-owned television network TVRI monopolized television broadcasting in Indonesia for nearly three decades. The government of Indonesia officially allowed private television stations in 1987. Indonesia’s first privately owned commercial television network, Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia (RCTI), began broadcasting on August 24, 1989. The first cable network in Indonesia started operation in 1998.

Today, Indonesia has 15 major national free-to-air terrestrial television networks (TVRI, RCTI, MNCTV, GTV, iNews, SCTV, Indosiar, ANTV, tvOne, Metro TV, Trans7, Trans TV, Kompas TV, RTV and NET), as well as satellite, cable, and mobile channels. Television in Indonesia is regulated by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and Indonesian Broadcasting Commission.

Each of Indonesia’s television networks offers a varied programming, ranging from wayang and other traditional performances to Western formats such as Indonesian Idol, MasterChef, Family Feud, and The Voice. One of the most popular formats on Indonesian television is sinetron (short for sinema elektronik, “electronic cinema”), or soap opera. The main broadcast languages on Indonesian television are Indonesian, English, and regional languages (on regional networks).