Currently, the government is conducting an academic study of the proposed regulation submitted by the Press Council regarding quality journalismJakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government is mulling a regulation that could support the growth of quality journalism in the country, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, has said.
In a written statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday, Mahfud informed that he had ordered his staff to coordinate with the Ministry of Communications and Informatics to discuss the legalities of such a regulation.
"Currently, the government is conducting an academic study of the proposed regulation submitted by the Press Council regarding quality journalism and the responsibility of digital platforms, including the appropriate form of regulation," Mahfud said at the National Mass Media Convention, held to commemorate national Press Day (HPN) Year 2022. He joined the convention via videoconferencing from Jakarta on Tuesday, according to the press statement.
So far, the government has not decided on the regulation, he added.
The regulation could be in the form of a law (UU) or a government regulation (PP), he informed. It could be implemented either under the Information and Electronic Transactions Law (ITE) or a law that regulates the prohibition of monopolistic practices and unfair business competition, he said.
"I have ordered my staff to oversee the process of drafting the regulation," the minister said.
The government is also committed to providing protection for the mass media as well as strengthening the role and position of the press in running their businesses, he informed.
However, according to Mahfud, the press industry is currently faced with new dynamics given the advances in information technology, which have been marked by the growth of digital platforms or applications and websites.
The development has led to an unbalanced relationship between content providers from digital platforms and news publishers, namely mass media, he noted. Thus, news publishers have an interest in broadcasting quality news and information, while digital platform owners are oriented towards maximizing profits, he explained.
Therefore, the regulation that is still being discussed by the government could play an important role because it will regulate the relationship between news publishers and digital platform owners, Mahfud highlighted.
The Indonesian press industry must adapt quickly to rapid developments in technology, including the metaverse phenomenon, head of the Press Council Mohammad Nuh said earlier at the opening of the 2022 National Press Day Convention.
"Technology can be a guide for the press industry in facing current various challenges," he remarked at the convention, which was held in a hybrid format in Kendari city, Southeast Sulawesi province, on Monday.
The national convention themed "Building National Sovereignty in the Midst of the Global Digitalization Wave" is a space to discuss new ideas for the advancement of the Indonesian press, he said.
Furthermore, technological changes are the most rapid changes in human history, hence people must be able to adapt as quickly as possible to them, he added.
The Press Council head then urged the press industry to adapt fast to avoid setbacks, which can bring various disadvantages, such as profit stagnation, losses, and bankruptcy.
One of the benefits of adapting to technology has been the development of online media through cyberspace, Nuh said.
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Translator: Genta T, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Sri Haryati
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