TV Series: Between Cable TV and the Internet

The emergence of cable TV in Indonesia began in 1997 when Indovision’s satellite, IndoStar 1, launched. Since then, many companies followed Indovision’s success to launch other cable TV service, such as FirstMedia, TelkomVision, Top TV, Yes TV, and so on. In fact, all these companies provide almost the same channels in different categories, like HBO and Fox Movies Premium (movies), ESPN (sports), StarWorld, MTV Asia, and TLC (entertainment), Disney Channel (kids’ programs), and NatGeo (education).

The evolving of cable TV in Indonesia creates some dynamics. Indonesians previously mostly were exposed to local channels which only showed local shows. Some of them might have imported several abroad shows, but not as much as cable TV did. All of the programs on cable TV are imported from various countries, such as USA, UK, South Korea, Japan, and Australia. Through cable TV, Indonesians are gradually more aware to global issues, education, and also entertainment.

However, if we take a look to a statistic, the total household which has television in Indonesia was 40 million in 2005. The total number of potential customers for cable TV was only 30% from them.  Indeed, the number is gradually increasing as the time goes by. If we take a look to the statistic regarding this cable TV customers, we can infer that the global influences to Indonesian viewers are not as much as the local influences. It can be partially true. However, we also have to consider the strength of other media, such as internet which brings seem-more complicated global influences than the cable TV does. Related to the entertainment, StarWorld seems to be the most popular channel, especially among young audience, as it shows various latest TV series, such as dramas and sitcoms. TV series, despite its entertainment purpose, bring dynamics in terms of social class and copyright issues among young audience in Indonesia.

As not every household has cable TV, internet becomes the prime source of accessing abroad TV series. Those who do not have cable TV in their home can still consume and watch them through the internet. It shows that even people who do not have cable TV still can follow the trends through the internet. One of the examples is the easinees of watching or downloading How I Met Your Mother series. This series is aired on StarWorld. However, because it is also provided on the internet, people who do not have access to cable TV still can enjoy it. Moreover, today, internet is not a source that is hard and expensive to use. Even people who do not have its access at home still can use it from the warnet, for example.

 Another example is today’s most popular Korean show titled Running Man. It even is not aired in any TV channels both in local or cable TV in Indonesia. However, its popularity is spread massively among young Indonesians. They watch it by online from the internet, downloading it, or even getting the soft copy from friend’s harddisk. In the end, it bounds people from any social classes. The abroad TV series are not only enjoyed by upper-middle class people anymore, but also from other social classes, too.

Besides its easiness, consuming TV series from the internet is basically free. Unlike cable TV, people do not have to pay some amount of money to watch and download from the internet. It seems simple and easy, but it actually leads to one major problem; copyright. Since most of the sources are not legal, the free-accessed series that are provided on the internet mostly violate copyright issue.

Since the potential number of cable TV customers in Indonesia is around 30% from the total TV population, we can simply infer that only 30% from them can afford to pay it. In consequence, in order to be up-to-date, they search through another source that is much affordable; internet. Nevertheless, we also cannot directly conclude without considering other aspects, too. Those who do not have cable TV in their home perhaps simply do not want to be exposed to ‘Westernization’ or they have been satisfied enough with local programs. However, in this essay, I intentionally do not highlight these aspects. I simply want to highlight the dynamics between those who can and cannot afford the cable TV.

Regarding to the copyright issue, its regulation in Indonesia is not as strict as other countries, such as the USA. Since early 2012, the USA govenment has blocked several file-hosting websites, such as Megaupload (megaupload.com) and deleted all the files that violate copyright. In Indonesia, people still can access them, even though some of them also have been deleted or blocked. However, the opportunity is still huge to access them since they are open and free for anyone.

This copyright issue always becomes multi-layered issue and problem. Since it is related to the economic status and government regulation, it is hard to break the vicious cycle. If they have to watch the legal ones, the cable TV is not affordable for some people. Buying the original DVDs also needs some huge amount of money. In the end, internet is the only shortcut. They still can enjoy and access the same series without have to spend much money.

As the series are released every week, young people are demanded to be up-to-date. However, the cable TV usually airs the shows few weeks or a month later after its original airing in its original country. Again, the internet provides the series faster than the cable TV. Even Indowebster (indowebster.web.id) provides the copy of the shows a day after its original airing. In consequence, the young people, even those who have cable TV at their home, prefer to download from the internet rather than waiting them to be aired on the TV. Internet seems to be better place for consuming TV series as it is free, faster, and easier rather than the cable TV. It reveals a new fact that not only those who come from lower-middle social class who do this, but also those who actually able to pay monthly payment for cable TV.

In the end, the internet always be the ‘alternative’ source to find such things like TV series in an easier and free way. In fact, it does not only happen to those who cannot afford cable TV, but also for those who can. Despite its violation to copyright issue, we cannot simply forget that the internet also bounds people from any social classes to consume the previously-expensive-and-exclusive TV series into an entertainment that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Reference

“Perkembangan Industri TV Berbayar di Tengah Persaingan Ketat.” Datacon.co.id 23 Dec 2012. <http://www.datacon.co. id/Internet2008Ind%20TVcable.html>

Written as Critical Study of Popular Culture final assignment.