DEPOK, A dissertation entitled “Contestation of Interests in Digital Television Migration in Indonesia (A Study of the Fight between Government, Industry, and Society in MultiplexingManagement for the Period 2011-2022)” led Feni Fasta to receive her doctorate in Communication Science from the University of Indonesia.
Period 2011-2022)” led Feni Fasta to achieve the 169th Doctor of Communication Science degree from the University of Indonesia on Thursday, July 4, 2024 at the Mochtar Riady Auditorium. Feni successfully defended her dissertation in front of the chairman of the doctoral promotion session, Prof. Dr. Fredy B. L. Tobing and the board of examiners, namely Prof. Dr. Phill. Hermin Indah Wahyuni, M.Si., Prof. Dr. Billy K. Sarwono, M.A., Dr. Hendriyani, M.Si., Dr. Irwansyah, M.A, and Dr. Indah Santi Pratidina, M.Soc.Sci. Feni’s dissertation, which was promoted by Dr. Nina Mutmainnah, M.Si and co-promoted by Dr. Eriyanto, M.Si, examined the contestation of actors’ interests, including government, industry, and society in the dynamics of television broadcasting digitalization process in Indonesia during 2011-2022. Using a case study strategy, Feni tries to explain why the contestation has been going on for a long time, unbalanced, and not oriented towards fulfilling public needs. She sees that digital broadcasting migration, which is not based on the legal basis of policy in the form of Broadcasting Law, has caused problems, such as the regulation of multiplexing, set top box distribution, and set top box distribution.
multiplexing, set top box (STB) distribution, and digital dividend management.
This critical political economy research shows that big players in the television industry benefit the most from the broadcasting digitalization process, while the small-scale television industry is increasingly marginalized.
The government favors the interests representing itself and the big financiers by implementing the multi mux system as a multiplexing management system in Indonesia that overrides the public interest.
Thus, it is clear that the process of digital migration of terrestrial television contested by the government, industry, and society in Indonesia is full of political economy interests.
“Apart from benefiting media conglomerates, the digitalization process in Indonesia has also increasingly eliminated the role of civil society and an independent state institution representing the public, namely the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission,” she explained.
Feni recommends that the revision of Broadcasting Law be formulated more clearly and in favor of public interest, one of which is by strictly limiting the use of terrestrial digital frequency spectrum which is limited in number.
She also hopes that the authority to balance the dominant government autonomy will be returned to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) and inputs from broadcasting stakeholders can be accommodated by the government.
(SAC)
