Description
Book SynopsisEntertainment media now comprise one of the world's largest industries, yet they remain one of the least studied aspects of contemporary mass media. Every day hundreds of millions of people watch television programs that might broadly be described as entertainment', notably in the rapidly developing countries of Asia. However we still have little idea of what drives the production of Asian entertainment television, how audiences engage with television or how political and social élites understand the impact of television on the massive audiences. While India and China have attracted recent media attention, Indonesia has remained largely unnoticed. As Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, is engaged in rapid modernization and the transition to democracy in significant part through the mass media, serious attention is long overdue.
The topics covered include:
- talent shows,
- crime and supernatural Reality TV,
- travel programmes,
Table of Contents
Introduction: Why is Entertainment Television in Indonesia Important? Mark Hobart. The Foreignizing Gaze: Producers, Audience and Symbols of the ‘Traditional' Gareth Barkin. Fame, Fortune, Fantasi: Indonesian Idol and New Celebrity Penelope Coutas. Entertaining Illusions: How Indonesian Élites Imagine Reality TV Affects the Masses, Mark Hobart. Dangdut Soul: Who are ‘the People’ in Indonesian Popular Music? Andrew N. Weintraub. Afterword Richard Fox
