KPI warns TV station over depiction of ‘thighs, breasts, and buttocks’ by airing Baywatch movie

Photo: Paramount Pictures
Photo: Paramount Pictures

The Indonesian Broadcast Commission (KPI) may have won praise recently for what looked like a newfound sensible approach to TV censorship, yet it seems it has gone back into overzealous mode thanks to Baywatch.

Related — Showing athletes in bikinis not a violation of Indonesian broadcasting rules: KPI

In an Instagram post yesterday, the broadcast watchdog said it has filed a warning to Trans TV for airing Baywatch (not the classic David Hasselhoff/Pamela Anderson-led TV series, rather the abominable 2017 movie starring the talentless Dwayne Johnson and salvaged only by the presence of Alexandra Daddario) on July 12. 

Though Trans TV rated the movie for teenagers and older audiences, KPI said its airing was still inappropriate as it was scheduled for prime time viewing, so little kids may have been exposed to too much skin.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CStNAcQpZXh/

“KPI found depictions of parts of the female body, including thighs, breasts, and buttocks. Even though they were blurred, that was used as a justification to air the film before 10pm [after which its airing would have been more appropriate],” KPI wrote in the post.

One commenter pointed out that Baywatch the TV series was aired on another TV station for years in the ‘90s and no fuss was made about it then. Of course, KPI also didn’t exist back then.

Others say the same scrutiny should be given to sinetron (Indonesian soap operas), which, despite their harmful depictions of marital issues, child abuse, and infidelity, occupy prime time TV spots as well.

Trans TV has not publicly responded to KPI’s warning.

Indonesian TV stations in the past have been pressured by KPI’s stringent censorship regulations to blur depictions of the female body in the most ridiculous manners imaginable. These include censoring a National Games swimmer and Sandy the squirrel from Spongebob Squarepants.



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