INDONESIA: Ratings-Hungry Media Under Attack for Terror Coverage

The media’s coverage of the House of Representatives’ inquiry into the controversial Bank Century bailout may be finally over, but fear not, the country’s intrepid news hounds have chased another story up a tree in their hunt for ever-increasing ratings.

After saturating TV screens with weeks of political intrigue — some would say comedy — the media have now turned to action: terrorist manhunts, complete with graphic footage of dead bodies and puddles of blood sandwiched between comments from terrorism experts.

Not everyone is happy with their nonstop coverage, however. Homemaker Irina Dewi is one of many concerned by the TV terrorism reports.

“I know it’s breaking news and that they’re trying to get as many viewers as they can,” Irina said. “But it doesn’t mean they can do whatever they want to make it happen.”

News analysts on Thursday weren’t so polite, saying that television’s rabid pursuit of high ratings was no excuse for the increasingly violent footage being splashed across the nation’s screens.

Most TV stations have followed the police manhunt for militants over the past week, all baying for the goriest visuals and the most emotive details, all in the name of ratings.

Visit 'The Jakarta Globe' for the full story.