The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has reprimanded state-run TV station TVRI for its broadcast of a 2.5-hour meeting of the Democratic Party, calling the report "imbalanced."

"TVRI has said it is an election channel, but it shouldn't have done that," KPI commissioner S. Rahmat Arifin said in Jakarta on Friday, according to Indonesian news portal tribunnews.com.

The broadcaster aired the convention on Sunday evening (Sept. 15). The 11 participants included Gita Wirjawan, who tendered his resignation as trade minister to the president yesterday, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan and outgoing Indonesian Ambassador to the US, Dino Patti Djalal.

The KPI said the fact that TVRI did not edit the package, instead electing to run the convention for its entire 2.5-hour duration, spoke to a violation of journalistic principles governing balance.

"Based on this, the KPI is handing down an administrative sanction to reprimand TVRI," Rahmat said. "The KPI asks that TVRI makes a statement letter that it will give other political parties the same [platform for media coverage]."

The KPI hoped the warning for TVRI would deter other broadcasters from giving parties disproportionate levels of coverage.