Indonesian people were more familiar with reading and writing habits than viewing habits since era before reform. The people preferred apparent and instant media to receive information.

“For instance, seventy percent of youths would rather watch films or television and access internet than attend discussion forums. They believe that they can gain information more rapidly and can analyze what they watch,” Zuly Qodir contended in a public lecture on ‘Development of Media, Religion, and Politics’ on Thursday (10/11) at Amphitheater of Graduate School of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY).

Dr. Zuly Qodir, who is also a lecturer of Master of Governmental Studies of UMY, stated that the way of presenting information affects the viewing habits as a director directs a scenario in order that people can analyze it. “Media nowadays is like God. People can easily access media. Media create a fantasy based on the director’s point of view,” he argued.

Furthermore, Garin Nugroho, a film director and producer conveyed that the viewing habits are an essential character of a film. “Characters of a film come up from emerging cultures. Film is a black and white medium which leads to viewing habits of Indonesian people,” he thought.

He asserted that the black and white media are perceptible media that people can easily obtain information. He deplored that the freedom of sharing information, indeed, bring harms to Indonesian people.

“For instance, people can freely access films related to SARA (ethnicity, religion, and race), or pornography. Before reform, people had to hide to watch a porn film. In fact, it can be found in a part of any film,” he expressed.