SBS50 story: "Radio was a very important communication tool at that time... but the technology was simple..."

Bela Kusumah, Executive Producer of Indonesian Language Program at SBS Radio from 1989 to 2008,  at SBS Studio in Melbourne - April 2025 (SBS).

Bela Kusumah, Executive Producer of Indonesian Language Program at SBS Radio from 1989 to 2008, at SBS Studio in Melbourne - April 2025 (SBS).

Bela Kusumah served as Executive Producer of Indonesian Language Programs at SBS Radio from 1989 to 2008 in Melbourne.


Looking at the SBS studio today, Bela remembers how simple the technology and equipment used when he worked at SBS. However, with pride radiating from his face, Bela tells about the program he made at that time and the important guest speakers in his broadcasts, such as Xanana Gusmao, Abdulrahman Wahid, and Hasan Wirayudha.

The story of the 2004 Aceh tsunami disaster is an experience he will never forget. For weeks, hearing his sources tell or testify about the suffering of the victims made him not only sad, but also stressful.

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SBS50 story: "Radio was a very important communication tool at that time... but the technology was simple..." | SBS Indonesian