Kartunet on Kick Andy Show 2008

Jakarta - February 14, 2008, marked the first time Kartunet.com appeared on a television talk show. Kick Andy was the show that graciously invited the Kartunet.com team to that historic night. The recording session took place on Wednesday evening, January 30, 2008. Iwa, as the leader; Dimas, as the maintenance engineer; Aris, as the programmer; and Rafik, as the editor, represented the Kartunet team, which consisted of 9 people in total, to attend. We departed in a shuttle car from Metro TV, accompanied by Ms. Astrid, and headed to the Kedoya area where the Metro TV station is located. Accompanied by light rain throughout the journey on that Wednesday afternoon, we enthusiastically and joyfully made our way to Metro TV. Upon arrival, we were already awaited by Mr. Iwa, who had been on standby since noon. It was our first time entering Metro TV. Before the show began, we waited in the waiting room to rest while enjoying the food provided by Metro TV. There, the Kartunet team chatted with the children from Meldick theater, who were also scheduled to appear on the talk show. Mr. Iwa was with a friend who was also a Metro TV employee, Mr. Awan. He told many stories and cracked jokes, and Mr. Iwa, of course, didn't want to be outdone in humor. Mr. Awan also greatly assisted us with mobility during our time at Metro TV, and he was kind enough to take our photos while we were there. After Maghrib prayer, the recording session began. Upon entering, we were surprised to hear someone singing in the studio. I asked Mr. Iwa, "Is this really the studio? Why is someone singing?" Mr. Iwa explained that it was just entertainment. I finally understood; during every break in the show, there was always entertainment to keep the audience engaged, such as singing or playing games. The shooting began with Mr. Rama, a visually impaired music arranger, as the first act. We waited for our turn with a bit of nervousness. But personally, I told myself, "Well, I can't see the audience there, so why should I be nervous?"... Perhaps this was a silly motivation, but it's what I always told myself when on stage. I had been on stage several times before, like during speech competitions in high school, but thankfully, I never suffered from stage fright. Kartunet got its turn to shoot in the second segment. We shook hands with the very friendly Mr. Andy Noya. Before the recording started, we had a friendly chat with him. Once the recording began, we were asked general questions, such as when Kartunet was founded, the background and motivation behind its establishment, our individual roles, and our activities. There's one thing I still remember from that event. Since I wasn't one of Kartunet's founders who met Mr. Iwa directly at the very beginning, I didn't know what motivated Mr. Iwa to recommend it to Aris and Riqo. Mr. Iwa said, "You all already have your own websites, why not create one collective, professional website? The biggest problem for the visually impaired is the lack of access to job opportunities for us. So, if there are no job opportunities, why don't we create them? Remember, several sticks tied together will be much stronger than a single stick standing alone." From his words, my motivation was reignited. I realized that this website is very important, and God willing, it can become a source of livelihood for our visually impaired friends in particular, and for the general public. Below is a quote I took from kickandy.com about the episode "Seeing the World with Heart," which aired on February 14, 2008. *** This is similar to what Irawan Mulyanto, Dimas, Aries, and Rafiq have done. These four men are the people behind Kartunet.com. Kartunet itself is an acronym for Karya Tunanetra (Works of the Visually Impaired), which indeed showcases works by the visually impaired, such as poetry, short stories, essays, and humorous tales. Irawan, commonly known as Iwa, stated that he and his friends dream that one day this website of works by the visually impaired can become a source of income for them, through advertisers or by becoming an online radio. "Currently, we are still funding it ourselves through contributions," explained Iwa, who also works daily as a telephone operator at Metro TV. That was our appearance on the Kick Andy show. After a tiring shoot of approximately 4 hours, we returned to our respective homes at 11 PM. On our way home, we were again driven by a Metro TV shuttle car. In this article, the Kartunet team would like to express our deepest gratitude to Metro TV, Mr. Andy Noya, Mr. Awan, Ms. Astrid, and all parties who helped make that evening possible. May Kartunet continue to thrive in the cyber world and fulfill its motto: "Overcoming Limitations without Limits." DPM Jakarta, February 14, 2008