First Lady Calls On Music Industries To develop Child Segment

Jakarta, Nov 26 (ANTARA) - First Lady Ani Bambang Yudhoyono has called on music industries in the country to develop music for the child segment to provide children with child music and song options. "We hope the Indonesian music could become the master at home," she said when launching Indonesia Sings Movement at the Creative Product Festival 2012 here on Sunday. She said children need to be given more attention which could be given among others through music. And in the efforts "we must involve musicians, industries, and offices handling basic education (in the effort)," she added. She has also asked private companies to use their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to help funding child song development program. "We have the same concern of how to save the national asset from unfavorable influences," she said. She believed the younger generation in the country has the creativity to create children`s songs. The First Lady has been concerned over exposure of children through television to songs sung by adults. "This must be stopped. It is our task to select programs for the children and to accompany them when they watch television. Choose educative programs. If necessary, broadcast old songs. Television must not become a media that damages their way of thinking," she said. "They (children) need protection and here is where song writers could play a role to help develop their character," she said. The First Lady said that educational contents could be conveyed more easily through songs while songs could become an effective stimulator for children. "Right now, children songs have gone. No musician create children songs due to industrial pressure," she said. On the occasion she proposed naming the mobile music program for artists to express their creations in the regions a singing car program. "If I may suggest this program would be named a singing car program," she said.