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