Draft law frees new media from license

Draft law frees new media from license

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus
recommended on Wednesday the abolition of the obligation for
print media to obtain publishing licenses (SIUPP), marking
another breakthrough for reform in the sector.

He also hinted that foreign investment would be granted
access to invest in national print media.

"The Indonesian mass media do not need to obtain a publishing
license, but only to register with the Ministry of Information to
start their business," he told a plenary meeting of the House of
Representatives (DPR), initiating the deliberation of a draft
press law on Wednesday.

He was quoting article 6 of the draft press law, which
requires a publication to fill in an application form and submit
a copy of its notarial document, indicating its establishment.

"The new press law will also guarantee that the Indonesian
press will be free from any kind of censorship and be immune from
any government press ban," he said, quoting article 3 of the
draft press law.

Yunus' surprising moves started in June last year, when he
issued Decree No. 1/1998, which canceled a 1984 ruling signed by
his predecessor Harmoko. The older ruling gave the minister the
right to revoke the licenses of press publications.

At the time, however, he still retained power to suspend the
license of publications that violated the terms of their permit,
saying that he would use such power only for a "certain period of
time".

In terms of responsibility, however, the draft law maintains
the contents of the 1982 Press Law, which puts the general
manager of a print medium responsible for its management and the
editor in chief for its editorial content.

It also recommends maintaining the existence of the Press
Council, whose duties are to analyze media-related problems and
advise the government and public on solutions.

The council is also expected to protect the national media
from other parties' interests, to improve the standard of the
professional media and to receive, analyze and settle all media-
related complaints from the public.

While granting comprehensive press freedom, the draft press
law rules that Indonesian mass media should always maintain the
principle of the presumption of innocence and not present biased
and slanted reporting.

Yunus said the draft press law, if adopted by the House, would
allow foreign investors to participate in financing national mass
media operations.

"However, foreign investment cannot monopolize the ownership
of national mass media," he said. "Equity participation of
foreign capital can only be channeled through listing on the
stock exchange."

He also said the ownership of national media could not be
monopolized by a group or an individual because it would hamper
the public's rights and opportunity to obtain more information
from various sources.

The draft law also rules that the national media will not be
allowed to publish advertisements, which contain messages from
certain religions, individuals or groups which are insulting to
other people, religions or groups. The advertisement section of
print media also will be banned from disproportional promotion of
products and services.

In addition, the national media will be barred from publishing
advertisements for liquor, cigarettes or other addictive
substances. (imn)