Concentration of Media Ownership in Indonesia: A Setback for Viewpoint Diversity

Authors

  • Masduki   Department of Communication Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • Leen d'Haenens Institute for Media Studies (IMS), the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium

Keywords:

media diversity, viewpoint diversity, ownership concentration, news media, oligarchy, Indonesia, journalism, broadcasting, media system

Abstract

 This study seeks to explore the setbacks for viewpoint diversity during and after Indonesia’s 2014 and 2019 presidential elections. Within the context of liberal-democratic Indonesia, it examines the extent to which ownership concentration shapes political viewpoints in news media. Based on document analysis, evidence review, and in-depth interviews with academics, media advocates, and journalists, this study attempts to showcase the interlinkages between media ownership and viewpoint diversity in the Indonesian media market. We argue that media ownership shapes news content in Indonesia’s heavily politicized context. Consequently, areas with highly concentrated media ownership and liberal media policies cannot readily offer diverse political viewpoints in media organizations. Although the influence is not straightforward, a lack of infrastructure for ensuring balance in news media outlets’ ownership limits ownership and viewpoint diversity throughout the Indonesian archipelago. Therefore, strong policies promoting diversity in ownership and in political viewpoints are needed to safeguard the country’s democracy.      

Author Biographies

Masduki  , Department of Communication Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

 Masduki is a lecturer and associate professor at the Department of Communication, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He earned his doctoral degree at the Institute of Communication Studies and Media Research (IfKW), University of Munich, Germany (2019).He is a veteran radio journalist and served as the program director of Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), Jakarta’s headquarters (2010-2012).He has published several books on the Indonesian broadcasting system and his articles have appeared in such scholarly journals as GAZETTE, Journalism Studies, Journal of Digital Media & Policy, and Media Asia. Masduki has a particular interest in media policy, comparative media systems, public service media and journalism.       

Leen d'Haenens, Institute for Media Studies (IMS), the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium

 Leen d’Haenens is Full Professor at the Institute for Media Studies (IMS) and Vice-dean International Relations of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven)      

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Published

2022-04-10

Issue

Vol. 16 (2022)

Section

Articles

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