Agreement on Reciprocal Trade: A Death Knell for Indonesian Press, According to Independent Journalists Alliance

The Indonesian Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI Indonesia) has identified two critical articles within the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), agreed upon by Prabowo Subianto and United States President Donald Trump in mid-February, that significantly impact Indonesia’s press landscape.

AJI Indonesia has adopted the following positions: (1) Demanding that President Prabowo cancel the entire Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States, with opposition to this agreement extending beyond the media sector to numerous other industries; and (2) Calling on the Indonesian House of Representatives to side with the people by rejecting approval of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade.

The ART represents a death knell for Indonesia’s press. The trade agreement contains several provisions that would severely harm Indonesia’s media ecosystem.

Indonesia’s media sector currently faces significant difficulties due to the shifting media landscape. Print media, radio and television have all experienced user decline as media consumption patterns have shifted towards online platforms. Meanwhile, the online media ecosystem lacks structures that support traditional media outlets. Digital platform algorithms and data collection practices have yet to generate significant positive impact for online media.

A critical provision in the ART is the first key point, which permits foreign investors from the United States to hold 100 per cent equity stakes in television, radio and other forms of media. This provision is outlined in the following article: