Foreign investment in media

Foreign investment in media

It is said that foreign capital may be invested in the
Indonesian mass media. Indeed, in this context we need detailed
points on the regulation or the community will be confused.

Law No. 21/1982 on the press clearly stipulates that foreign
investment shall not be allowed in the press sector and foreign
nationals are not allowed to do business in this area. The reason
is that the press has long been regarded as a tool of national
struggle.

If foreign capital is allowed to enter the press world in
Indonesia many things can happen. The spirit of nationalism may
be given second class status by the capital owners. Also foreign
capital can cause domestic establishments with mediocre capital
to close down. Cultural penetration can be done from within by,
for example, constructing their own television stations in the
larger cities.

In addition, the presence of the foreign media can abolish or
at least lessen the significance of the identity of the
Indonesian media.

--Republika, Jakarta