PT. Media Televisi Indonesia was granted a broadcasting licence for Metro TV on October 25, 1999. It is a subsidiary of the Media Group, headed by Surya Paloh, the company's CEO/President, who was a wealth of experience in the local media industry and is the publisher of Indonesia's third largest national newspaper. Media Indonesia. From a start up work force of 280 employees the company now employs more than 1200 people, mostly in the newsroom and production areas.