Television in Indonesia

State-run station TVRI held a television monopoly in Indonesia until 1989, when the first commercial station, RCTI (Rajawali Citra Televisi Indonesia) began as a local station and was subsequently granted a national license a year later.

Each of the networks have a wide variety of programs, ranging from traditional shows, such as wayang performances, to programs like Indonesian Idol which are based on Western models. One typical television show common to almost every network is sinetron Sinetron is usually a drama series, following the soap opera format, but can also refer to any fictional series. Sometimes it can be comedic, like the popular Bajaj Bajuri series, featuring a bajaj driver and the people he drives around.

The first time the Indonesian public witnessed the demonstration of a television was in 1955, 29 years after its introduction in 1926, and 26 years after the world's first television broadcast was made in 1929. These first televisions were brought from the Soviet Union during the Yogyakarta 200 years anniversary fair (Pekan Raja 200 Tahoen Kota Djogjakarta).

On July 25, 1961, the Minister of Information, R. Maladi, signed an agreement (SK Menpen) to create a committee for the preparation of the establishment of television in Indonesia. This was established as a part of the preparation for the fourth Asian Games. There was only a year to create a studio, broadcast tower, and other technical equipments in the former site of the Information Academy at Senayan. In that short period of preparation, Soekarno had a very prominent role, going as far as to personally choosing the equipment and where they should be imported from. The first experimental TV broadcast was the live coverage of the celebration of the 17th Anniversary of Indonesia's Independence on the morning August 17, 1962 from Jakarta's Merdeka Palace.

At 14.30, August 24, 1962, the citizens of Jakarta witnessed the live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the 4th Asian Games from Gelora Bung Karno. This broadcast was held by the Television Division of the Radio and Television Organizing Committee Bureau. This day is now recognized as the birth of Televisi Republik Indonesia or TVRI, the first television station in Indonesia.

...
Wikipedia