Indonesia government considers taking steps to protect mainstream media

A minister said the move is paramount to preserving human rights and protecting civilisation. Read more at straitstimes.com.

JAKARTA – The Human Rights Ministry is considering efforts to protect the sustainability of mainstream media amid the domination of digital platforms, including social media, in fulfilling people’s demand for information.

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai said that preserving the rights of the Indonesian media is paramount to preserving human rights and protecting civilisation since the press has been a critical actor in the fight for human rights in the country.

He said he would hold a dialogue with the Press Council that could recommend the necessary steps that could be formalised in regulations to protect the business sustainability of media industry.

“In regulations, laws concerning human rights that we will produce with the House of Representatives this year, we could put (stipulations) that could ensure the sustainability of the Indonesian press,” Mr Natalius said on March 11 during an event in Jakarta.

Indonesian press and the mainstream media in the country have found themselves in financial trouble in the past few years amid the domination of global platforms that monopolise the production and distribution of information.

Newspapers have experienced a decline in circulation, many of which have ended in closing down for good, while digital businesses have yet to pick up as news and information have been largely available for free on digital platforms.