Promoting Transparency and Democracy in Broadcasting Through Media Regulation

Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN News Online —The Faculty of Dakwah and Communication Science (FDIKOM) UIN Jakarta held a national seminar themed “Public Information Transparency and Media Democratization in Indonesia” on Thursday, July 11, 2024. The second session featured expert speakers in their fields, including Prof. Dr. Masduki, M.Si. from the National Coalition for Broadcasting Reform, Dr. Bintan Humeira, M.Si., Head of the Journalism Study Program at UIN Jakarta, Evri Rizky Monarsih, S.K.M., Commissioner for Institutional Affairs of the Central KPI, and Siti Nurbaya, M.Si., a lecturer at FDIKOM, as the moderator.

In the second session, themed “Quo Vadis Broadcasting Law Revision,” Prof. Masduki opened by discussing the urgency of revising the Broadcasting Law. According to him, this revision has been needed since the law was enacted in 2002. Prof. Masduki highlighted four main aspects of broadcasting: content, technology, authority, and media ownership, emphasizing that the politicization of broadcast content is a strong reason for revision.

“This revision must address the management of technology and commercial aspects, not just content. Journalism operates under different regimes and must be governed by its own code of ethics,” said Prof. Masduki.

Dr. Bintan Humeira stressed the importance of media regulation to ensure open access to information and diversity in ownership. She stated that media operates in the public domain, and regulation is necessary to protect public interest. She also warned that without proper regulation, there could be information dominance by certain groups, which goes against democratic principles.
“Broadcasting democracy requires open access for everyone, diversity in ownership, and diversity in content. Media regulation must ensure a balance between the media market and public interest,” said Dr. Bintan.

Evri Rizky Monarsih underscored the need for oversight of new media, especially OTT (over-the-top) services, which are not yet regulated under the current Broadcasting Law.
“The transition from conventional to new media requires strict supervision. Currently, the development of OTT is not addressed by existing regulations,” she said.
Additionally, Evri emphasized that conventional media remains a primary reference for the public, and the Broadcasting Law revision must be enacted promptly to align with current technological and media developments.

The speakers hoped that this seminar would encourage a more comprehensive revision of the Broadcasting Law, regulating not only content but also technology and media ownership. Through dialogues involving various stakeholders, including journalists, academics, and the public, the resulting regulations are expected to strengthen the pillars of democracy in Indonesia.
(Ken Devina/ Noeni Indah Sulistiyani/ Foto: Indra Aldiansyah)