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Tutorial by Television
TV is effective and potential media in its capability to present audio-visual
information with wide range of accessibility (Verduin , 1991 ). These
characteristics are useful for delivering learning materials for distance education .
However, considering the cost for developing TV program is quite expensive , and
the process and time needed to develop the program is long , many distance
education institutions use TV media only as supplementary media. In addition ,
the dependence on TV station has made many distance education institutions
used TV as limited supplementary media. Th is condition is also experienced by
UT. UT was given small allotment to TV media which was inappropriate for
broadcasting its programs . In the past, UT TV programs were broadcasted by
National Television Station (TVRI) and Indonesian Educational TV (TPI). On
TVRI, the program was broadcasted once a month at 3.30pm , while on TPI it was
broadcasted four times a month at 11.00pm.
In February 1998 the broadcasting frequency was cut down drastically as a
result of TPI policy of no longer broadcasting educational programs anymore.
This was regrettable because TPI was supposed to provide educational service
through its programs , therefore it was not in line with its previous mission. This
ironic fact actually was pragmatic because running educational TV programs
requires idealism which means willingness to provide fund that sometimes is not
aligned with commercial aspects of TV broadcasting. Special channel for
education is definitely needed and this should relate to national education policy.
Considering this high potential media as a means of widening educational
opportunities in Indonesia, it is realistic if the government and private sectors
care about the existence of TV station especially designed for education .
With the rising educationalist and educators concern with poor educational
TV programs, there was an offer to use direct broadcast satellite, called Cakra
Warta belonging to lndovision Broadcasting Corporation in October 1997,
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